§ 40. Mr. Cockeramasked the Paymaster General what assessment he has made of the implications for the United Kingdom travel industry of participation in computerised travel and hotel reservations systems.
§ Mr. TrippierThe effective use of new technology can play an important part in ensuring that the United Kingdom travel industry remains competitive. A number 465W of computerised reservation systems are already in operation in the United Kingdom. It is important for the industry to co-ordinate a strategy for the development and integration of computerised reservations systems and I am pleased to see that an industry action group, with the provisional title of Access UK, has recently been established for this purpose. The British tourist authority will be providing initial secretarial support and assistance to the group.
§ 41. Mr. David Atkinsonasked the Paymaster General if he will estimate the number of en-suite bathrooms added to hotel and guest house bedrooms in England in each year since 1978.
§ Mr. TrippierIt would be possible to provide compresensive information only at disproportionate cost. But from April 1983 to date a total of 1,159 projects in the serviced accommodation sector have been offered assistance totalling over £24 million by the English Tourist Board under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969. A high proportion of these projects has involved the provision of en-suite bathrooms.
§ 43. Mr. Gregoryasked the Paymaster General what information he has on the number of tourists visiting each regional tourist board in each year since 1978, both as a whole and expressed as a percentage of the total national figure.
§ 48. Mr. Cashasked the Paymaster General what information he has on the amount of money spent in each tourist board area by holiday makers and business visitors.
§ 51. Sir Peter Blakerasked the Paymaster General what information he has on the amount of income that has been generated by tourism in the north-west tourist board area in each year since 1978.
§ 53. Mr. Yeoasked the Paymaster General what information he has on the amount of income that has been generated by tourism in the East Anglia tourist board area in each year since 1978.
§ 54. Mr. Coombsasked the Paymaster General what information he has on the amount of income that has been generated by tourism in the West Country tourist board area in each year since 1978.
§ 55. Mr. Tim Smithasked the Paymaster General what information he has on the amount of income that has been generated by tourism in the Thames and Chiltern tourist board area in each year since 1978.
§ Mr. TrippierA table giving this information has been placed in the Library.
§ 56. Mr. Roger Kingasked the Paymaster General if he will estimate the number of hotels operating in each of the tourist board regions in each year since 1978 to date.
§ Mr. TrippierNo comprehensive information is available on the numbers of hotels in tourist board regions.
§ 62. Mr. Galeasked the Paymaster General whether he will estimate the amount of investment in tourism that took place in 1986 in the area covered by the South East England tourist board.
§ Mr. TrippierNo comprehensive information on total tourism development in a particular region is available.
466WHowever, a recent ETB survey of major projects suggested that in the last six months of 1986 at least £135 million worth of tourism and leisure developments was opened or under construction in the South East England tourist board area.
§ Mr. Bevanasked the Paymaster General if he will estimate the number of new attractions constructed in each of the tourist board regions in each year since 1978, giving in each case details of the principal such attractions.
§ Mr. TrippierAs my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Lee) stated in his reply to my hon. Friend on 19 March at column 579, no comprehensive information on the number of new attractions constructed in each of the tourist board regions is available.