HC Deb 21 July 1998 vol 316 cc442-3W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 6 July 1998,Official Report, column 344, on Millennium tourism, how many of the new millennium attractions, which are to appear in The New Map of Britain, are outside London; and if he will list those in the North West. [51184]

Mr. Chris Smith

[holding answer 17 July 1998]: As I said in my reply of 6 July, the British Tourist Authority is now developing plans specifically to promote the Millennium celebrations. One of its proposals has the working title "the New Map of Britain", a shorthand description for a promotional document listing attractions open between 1999 and 2001. The list will include many projects including some funded by the Millennium Commission and other Lottery distributors. It will be at least 6 months before this list can be drawn up.

I can, however, assure my hon. Friend that the list will contain a good regional spread of attractions, and that the North West will be well represented.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many new jobs he estimates will be created in the tourism sector over the next five years. [51032]

Mr. Tom Clarke

[holding answer 17 July 1998]: Tourism employment grew by 16 per cent. in the ten years to December 1997 and 1.7 million people (approximately 7 per cent. of the total of employees) are working in the tourism industry in Britain. Against that background, the World Travel and Tourism Council's prediction of 300,000 new jobs in tourism in the UK in the next decade, we are confident that the tourism strategy we shall publish later this year will help the industry maximise its undoubted potential for employment generation.

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the future of the English Tourist Board. [51033]

Mr. Tom Clarke

[holding answer 17 July 1998]: We will be announcing to Parliament on 24 July proposals for revising the structure and mechanisms through which Government support for all DCMS sectors is channelled. This will include domestic tourism in England.