§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list his initiatives for the development of tourism in(a) Wales, (b) North Wales and (c) North East Wales; and if he will make a statement. [44596]
§ Mr. HainWe continue to fund the Wales Tourist Board's section 4 capital grant programme. The Board has targeted grant at resorts and historic towns in North Wales generating investment of £11.75 million over the past three years and is also involved in developing a new North Wales Regional Tourism Strategy. In North East Wales the Board has allocated £600,000 to support development in Denbigh and Ruthin with new initiatives likely to come from the new regional strategy.
Government support also enables the Board to support tourism through marketing, product development, training, quality grading and research initiatives. The Board is soon to consult the industry on a new tourism strategy for the next century.