HC Deb 18 May 1950 vol 475 cc165-6W
30. Mr. Lindsay

asked the President of the Board of Trade what special arrangements will be made to provide additional accommodation in London for visitors to the Festival of Britain, and especially those from overseas.

Mr. H. Wilson

All possible steps are being taken to increase the volume of hotel accommodation in London available for overseas visitors, and in this connection I am, of course, keeping a special eye on the needs of those who will be visiting the Festival of Britain. Several Government-held buildings have been offered back to the industry if satisfactory arrangements can be made for their reconversion to hotel use. Also, to ensure that the fullest possible use is made of hotel accommodation, the British Hotels and Restaurants Association are, with the support of the British Travel and Holidays Association, setting up a London Hotels Information Service which will give overseas visitors information about available rooms. The British Travel and Holidays Association is itself setting up a parallel service to collect and pass on information about suitable accommodation available in private houses and hostels and the like.