§ 2. Mr. David Kidney (Stafford)What action his Department is taking to promote environmentally sustainable tourism. [119873]
§ The Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting (Janet Anderson)The Government's strategy, "Tomorrow's Tourism", published in February 1999, places sustainability at its core and seeks to integrate the economic, social and environmental implications of tourism.
§ Mr. KidneyI recall my hon. Friend coming to Stafford last year to launch the borough council's strategy for tourism, and I thank her very much for that. I am aware of how much good work her Department does to promote the maximising of the economic advantages of tourism while preventing environmental harm to the attractions themselves, and more widely. What is my hon. Friend's Department doing to persuade others such as councils, tourism organisations and private owners to have a similarly high regard for sustainability?
§ Janet AndersonMy hon. Friend is right, and I congratulate him and Stafford borough council on the work that they are doing in that area.
It is important to get the balance right. Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the world and we want our fair share of it. However, we want to ensure that future generations, too, can avail themselves of such opportunities. I hope that the strategy paper that the English Tourism Council's task force is producing this autumn will give councils throughout the country good advice on that matter.
§ Mr. John Greenway (Ryedale)Does the Minister agree that uninhibited access to environmentally sensitive countryside can sometimes do immense damage to the attractiveness of the very landscape that visitors and tourists want to enjoy, and can threaten wildlife and conservation? Clearly, there is consensus on the need for a balance. However, will the Minister join me in urging her ministerial colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to listen to the concerns of Britain's 4 million anglers and reject a Labour 484 Back-Bench proposal to allow an unrestricted right of access to all river banks and fisheries, which would be extremely damaging to the sport of fishing, as well as fish stocks and other wildlife?
§ Janet AndersonThat is not a matter for my Department. However, I assure the hon. Gentleman that the sustainable tourism component of our strategy has been informed by our consultation document, "Tourism—towards sustainability", which formed part of the wider consultation conducted by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on updating the United Kingdom's sustainable development strategy. That represented the first ever attempt by Government to consult on such a scale.