§ Mr. Whitlockasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will seek to extend tourism project assistance outside development areas, particularly to areas 201W of high potential for tourist earnings such as Nottinghamshire;
(2) to what extent Nottinghamshire benefits from Government expenditure on tourism.
§ Mr. Meacher,pursuant to his replies [Official Report, 27th November 1978; Vol. 959, c. 25], gave the following information:
My Department already provides grants-in-aid to the English tourist board and to the British Tourist Authority totalling about £ 15 million. Most of it is spent on publicity, marketing and research to the benefit of the country as a whole, including Nottinghamshire. From these funds the English tourist board also contributes to the income of the non-statutory regional tourist boards, and in the last financial year provided about 44 per cent. of the East Midlands board's finance. The extension of tourist project assistance which my right hon. Friend announced in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdare (Mr. Evans) on 22nd November will benefit tourism in part of Nottinghamshire.