HC Deb 20 March 2001 vol 365 c169W
Mr. Sanders

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact of foot and mouth on(a) the British tourist industry and (b) tourism in the South West; and if he will make a statement. [154301]

Janet Anderson

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the House on 14 March 2001,Official Report, columns 1021–36. The overall economic impact on the rural tourism industry in England following the foot and mouth outbreak is running at approximately £100 million a week and could grow. South West Tourism has estimated that the impact to tourism in the South West is currently running at around £17 million a week.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourism businesses have been directly affected by the issuance of form C notices under the foot and mouth procedures. [154237]

Mr. Chris Smith [holding answer 16 March 2001]

There are no figures available for the number of tourism businesses directly affected by the issuance of Form C notices under the provisions of the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983 which prohibits the movement of animals into or out of an area within an 8 km radius of the place of a suspected outbreak. There is, however, overwhelming evidence of a very adverse impact on tourism businesses throughout the country as a result of visit cancellations.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the weekly cost to the tourist industry in Shropshire of the impact of the foot and mouth outbreak; and if he will make a statement. [154486]

Janet Anderson [holding answer 19 March 2001]

There are no figures currently available to make an assessment of the weekly cost to the tourism industry in Shropshire following the foot and mouth outbreak. However, the overall economic impact on the rural tourism industry in England is running at approximately £100 million a week. The Heart of England Tourist Board has estimated that the impact to rural tourism in the 12 counties that make up their region, including Shropshire, is currently running at around £10 million per week.