§ 6. Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has had from holiday parks and the tourist industry generally about the cost of television licences.
§ Mr. SproatMy right hon. Friend has received representations from 27 right hon. and hon. Members and seven letters from others.
§ Mr. FieldMay I declare an interest in this matter? It has come to my attention that Lewis Bullard, the secretary of the National Association of Holiday Centres, has written to my hon. Friend making three points—first, that the industry is seasonal; secondly, that most families go on holiday together and therefore do not watch their televisions at home; and thirdly, that, as hosts provide entertainment for their guests, they do not necessarily watch television in the holiday centres.
Taken together, the Select Committee proposals and the EC distance selling directive have caused great consternation within the industry and we look to the Minister to reassure those involved in it.
§ Madam SpeakerDid the Minister find a question in all that?
§ Mr. SproatI did, Madam Speaker.
§ Madam SpeakerI am delighted, because I did not.
§ Mr. SproatOn my hon. Friend's first point, I agree that the Select Committee recommended that hotels with more than 50 rooms should pay for each television set thereafter. The same applies to holiday homes and caravan parks. I emphasise that that is the Select Committee recommendation, not the Government's. We are extremely conscious of the need not to place any additional burdens on the businesses described by my hon. Friend. On the question of the EC distance selling directive, the Government are wholly opposed to that directive and will do everything that they can to stop it.