§ Mr. EvennettTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment she has made of the impact of the Government's tourism policy on the London borough of Bexley. [11667]
§ Mr. SproatWhile we have not made any specific assessment of the impact of our tourism policy on Bexley alone, Bexley is a London borough and as such is part of Britain's greatest assets in attracting overseas visitors.252W In 1995, over 23 million people visited the capital—an increase of nearly 1.5 million over 1994—and they contributed over £7 billion to the capital's economy. The "Focus London" initiative aims to enhance London's position as one of the world's leading tourist destinations and as international gateway to the rest of Britain. The London tourist board/London first hotel development initiative aims to identify sites for hotel development in outer-London boroughs which will help develop and spread the benefits of tourism outside the capital centre. Locally they are various initiatives which ultimately aim to maximise the benefits of tourism right across the capital. A 40-mile network of green walks spanning south-east London has been awarded the prestigious "seal of approval" by the London Walking Forum. The walk links together more than 300 public and private open spaces passing through four London boroughs including Bexley. Bexley has been praised for the colour and attractiveness of its gardens, and has been awarded the London borough Trophy as a result. I am pleased to see that Bexley council's priorities for the next five years include a drive to promote culture, heritage and the arts, play a leading role in "Thames gateway" initiatives and activities, and to improve employment prospects by exploiting tourism and heritage opportunities.