§ Mr. GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish her response to the recent report of the Tourism Alliance commissioned by her. [58661]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Government have not responded point by point to the Tourism Alliance document "Tourism Spending Priorities", which was published in April. However, the document's recommendations will be taken on board in developing the modernisation programme for the tourism and hospitality industry, including marketing, quality, skills, modernised communication and structural reform. The document identifies a number of key strategic spending issues which we will be considering in the coming months.
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§ Mr. GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what funding will be allocated to the regional development agencies in support of the tourism industry in the year 2002–03 by(a) her Department and (b) other Government agencies; [58603]
(2) what plans she has to ensure the continuing independence of the regional tourist boards; [58599]
(3) what offers of financial support she has received for the proposed public-private coalition for the marketing of English tourism; [58600]
(4) when she expects a campaign to market English tourism to be launched; [58598]
(5) what funding her Department intends to allocate to the proposed public-private coalition responsible for the marketing of English tourism. [58601]
§ Dr. HowellsThe announcement on 13 May about the structural reform of English tourism represents a radical change and yesterday I held the first meeting of the Steering Group to start considering the detail of how to take our proposals forward. We aim to report the Group's findings this summer.
No decision on the level of funding for marketing has yet been taken—an announcement about resources for tourism will be made at the appropriate time but not in advance of the spending round decisions. We have not sought, nor yet received offers of financial support, but I am sure that the industry will respond well, as it did for the Million Visitor campaign earlier in the year.
Depending on the details of transition to the new structures, we hope to be in a position to start marketing domestically in 2003–04. The precise decisions on dates will of course be for the public-private coalition to decide upon.
Regional development agencies will in future play a stronger part in the strategic leadership of tourism. However, no decisions on funding have yet been taken and the level of that funding will depend on the precise allocation of new responsibilities. We will continue to encourage RDAs to take account of the huge importance of tourism to their regions, both its direct and indirect impacts, when they take decisions about allocating their single pot.
Regional tourist boards are private companies limited by guarantee (one is a trust) and so are independent by nature. They are the natural partners for RDAs, with much tourism expertise, and we hope they will all forge effective working relationships with the RDAs.