LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government when an interim report from the British Tourist Authority and the National Tourist Boards can be expected.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, BOARD OF TRADE (LORD BROWN)My Lords, reports by the British Tourist Authority and the English, Scottish and Wales Tourist Boards on their activities in the last financial year, which ended on March 31, will be laid before the House as soon as possible in accordance with the Development of Tourism Act 1969.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, I wonder whether the noble Lord would say what he means by "as soon as possible", because while some reports can be published fairly soon after the end of the financial year others, as we all know, take months and months.
§ LORD BROWNMy Lords, in view of the short period to which the initial reports will relate—less than a whole year —they are not expected to be long delayed. But preparation of the reports is a matter for individual Tourist Boards and it is not possible to indicate when they will be laid before Parliament.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, bearing in mind the way the Tourism Bill was rushed through your Lordships' House last July, without the usual opportunities for full discussion, and bearing in mind, too, the very wide financial powers which these newly set up Boards have been given, does not the noble Lord think it entirely appropriate that 142 Parliament should be given some report of progress at a very early date?
§ LORD BROWNMy Lords, bearing in mind that the noble Lord was informed on more than one occasion during the Committee and other stages of the Bill to which he refers that the purpose of hurrying the Bill through the House was to enable a large number of hotel builders to claim the grants, mentioned in the White Paper, to which they were entitled, it seems unreasonable to attach the argument which he has attached in his reference to the publication of reports by the Tourist Boards.
LORD INGLEWOODMy Lords, with reference to what the noble Lord has just said, does he not agree with me that one of the reasons why discussion was so necessary was to try to ensure that those grants would be fairly distributed throughout the industry instead of being heavily weighted in favour of the big operators, as the noble Lord insisted?
§ LORD BROWNMy Lords, that was not the reason I gave; it was the reason which the noble Lord gave and which I refuted.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, is it a question of weeks or months before we get the reports?
§ LORD BROWNMy Lords, we have delegated to the Authority and to the three Tourist Boards, composed of sensible businessmen derived from the industry, the responsibility of running these institutions and of reporting to Parliament. It would be quite wrong for us to begin interfering with delegated responsibility by instructing the Authority and the Boards precisely when they were to produce these reports. I have no doubt that they will be produced rapidly, as we hope that these are efficient bodies; but I cannot commit Boards when we do not have the necessary authority to commit them.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, would the noble Lord use his kindly good offices, ever gracious and helpful, to encourage the early production of these reports because there is some complexity and questioning in the hotel industry and among potential operators?
§ LORD BROWNMy Lords, I have no doubt that the contents of this little discussion in the House this afternoon will be noted by the institutions concerned.