§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the annual amount of financial support provided by his Department for tourism in the North-west in each of the last five years. [66897]
§ Janet AndersonThe North-west, like all parts of England, benefits from the work of the British Tourist Authority and of the English Tourist Board. For 1998–99, the BTA has a grant of £35 million and the ETB a grant of £9.7 million.
A significant part of the grant to the ETB is passed on to the ten regional tourist boards. ETB funding to the North-west Tourist Board over the last five years has been as follows:
£ 1998–99 292,000 1997–98 292,619 1996–97 299,274 1995–96 414,000 1994–95 400,199 Source:
English Tourist Board
New support structures announced on 14 December 1998, Official Report, column 588, as part of the results of the DCMS Departmental Spending Review, will ensure that in future more effective use is made of public spending on tourism in England, with a greater proportion going to the regions.
In addition, tourism in the North-west has benefited, both directly and indirectly, from National Lottery funding (nearly £450 million in total has gone to the region), and from the support under the European Regional Development Fund.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance his Department is providing to ensure that beaches in the North West are brought up to Blue Flag standard. [66928]
§ Janet AndersonMy Department does not provide assistance specifically for the purpose of raising the quality of beaches. However, my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment has asked the Environment Agency and North West Water to work closely together to sort out the remaining problems and last year he approved additional expenditure to bring improvements to the Fylde Coast bathing waters. Options for further investment to achieve water quality required for Blue Flags are being considered as part of the current review of water company prices.