§ 98. Mr. Blakerasked the President of the Board of Trade what discussions on the subject of investment incentives for the hotel and catering industry were held with bodies representing that industry before the publication of Command Paper No. 2874.
§ Mr. JayAs stated in paragraph 12 of the White Paper there were discussions with the Confederation of British Industry about the results of the Confederation's inquiry into investment incentives: but it was not possible to discuss with 115W individual industries proposals for changes which amounted to budgetary measures.
§ 99. Mr. Miscampbellasked the President of the Board of Trade what will be the extra cost per cent. of hotel and catering equipment as the result of its exclusion from investment incentives proposed in Command Paper No. 2874.
§ Mr. JayThe cost of the withdrawal of the investment allowances in such cases cannot usefully be estimated, since it depends on the rates of tax over the life of the equipment.
§ 100. Mr. Miscampbellasked the President of the Board of Trade what were the reasons for the Government's decision to exclude the hotel and catering industry from the proposals for investment incentives set out in Command Paper No. 2874, in view of the fact that tourism is the United Kingdom's biggest dollar earner.
§ Mr. JayAs the White Paper explains, the Government feel it necessary to concentrate assistance by way of the new investment grants where the need to increase investment is considered greatest. The Government fully recognise the value to the economy of the hotel, tourist and catering industries and will continue to assist them in whatever ways seem most appropriate.