§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will commission a special study of the tourist potential of Merseyside.
§ Mr. MeacherMy right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. The English Tourist Board commissioned a study of the North-West in 1973, which included the Merseyside area.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Trade what plans he has to increase the investment in tourism in (a) the North West, and (b) Merseyside.
§ Mr. MeacherWe have no present plans to do so, but as a special development area Merseyside is eligible for selective tourist project assistance from the English Tourist Board.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) why Merseyside was not included among the ares selected for the concentration of tourist developments;
(2) if he will indicate the criteria employed for selecting areas with fragile economies as being eligible for tourist schemes.
§ Mr. MeacherThe three districts chosen for pilot experiments in the development of tourism growth points which all fall in scheduled development areas are characterised by particularly acute economic difficulties yet have a high degree of under-developed tourism potential. Additionally, they are sufficiently typical to gather valuable experience in extending the technique elsewhere should success justify this, and the necessary resources become available. I am bearing in mind the position of Merseyside but it did not appear to have this combination of features justifying the choice of the districts selected for the trial run. As a development area it has already benefitted under Section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 and applications under this section for assistance for projects in Merseyside can still be considered.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Trade why Scotland and Wales 479W together received almost as much as England in the amounts allocated to the respective tourist boards for 1976–77 when England has a much larger population and significantly higher unemployment.
§ Mr. MeacherMy right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales are responsible for the Scottish and Wales Tourist Boards, respectively, for their tourism budgets. These are not
1977–78 ESTIMATES PROVISION £ million English Tourist Board Scottish Tourist Board Wales Tourist Board Grant-in-Aid 4.151 1.770 1.230 Selective Tourist Project assistance 1.940 1.100 1.158 Hotel Development Incentive scheme—outstanding claims 0.250 — —
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Trade why the North-West received only £134,590 between 1st April 1971 and 31st December 1976 under Section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969, whereas Cumbria received £1,024,732, the West Country £1,023,637, Northumbria £1,002,017 and North Yorkshire £701,989.
§ Mr. MeacherThe administration of selective tourism project assistance in England under Section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 is a matter for the discretion of the English Tourist Board, whose responsibility it is.