§ Baroness Anelay of St Johnsasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much has been paid by way of loans through the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme to tourism businesses which are suffering from cash-flow problems. [HL1879]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)The Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities, which is used to classify loans 11WA under the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme, does not treat tourism as a separate industrial section. Tourism is spread across a number of sections, including wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants and transport.
Of the new loans that have been guaranteed by the Small Business Service, where the application forms identify that the businesses are suffering from cash-flow problems resulting from foot and mouth disease, 16 loans totalling £444,000 are considered to be tourism related.