HC Deb 16 December 1986 vol 107 cc514-5W
27. Mr. Gale

asked the Paymaster General what major tourist attractions have been funded by section 4 grants in the last 12 months.

Mr. Trippier

In the last 12 months, section 4 support has been committed by the English Tourist Board to nine tourist attraction projects with a capital cost of £250,000 or greater. The total capital cost of these projects was £9.8 million, and the total support committed to them was over £900,000. The nine attractions are as follows:

ATTRACTION AND PROJECT ASSISTED

Westminster Abbey

  • Amalgamation and re-presentation of Abbey Museum and Treasury.

Museum of Modern Art, Oxford

  • Reconstruction of facade to improve access; provision of better facilities, particularly for disabled.

HMS Warrior

  • Provision of visitor facilities.

Bar Convent Museum, York

  • Creation of a museum of the religious history of York and England.

Botanical Gardens, Birmingham

  • Visitor facilities.

POW Camp 83, Malton

  • Creation of a museum of modern history 1939–45 and visitor facilities.

Thursford Museum, Fakenham

  • Enlarged exhibition space, selling space, WC and catering facilities.

Stapeley Water Gardens, Nantwich

  • Creation of visitor centre.

Rock Gardens Centre, Portsmouth

  • Provision of indoor leisure complex.

66. Mr. Colvin

asked the Paymaster General whether the Manpower Services Commission plans to introduce its jointly sponsored business development programme for small businesses related to tourism into other areas after the pilot scheme takes place in Newcastle early in 1987.

Mr. Trippier

The business development programme for hotel and catering industry employers in Newcastle is recruiting participants for its January start. This programme has its roots in a successful tourism local collaborative project set up by the Northumbria tourist board in June 1984. The LCP programme recognises that needs differ from area to area. It would be inappropriate and might well prove unsuccessful to attempt to transplant this BDP without its roots. However, MSC is keen to disseminate the successful outcomes of LCPs amongst the business and education community. MSC will ensure that other tourism projects throughout the country, including that based at the Dorset institute, are made aware of the BDP so that they may learn from relevant aspects of its experience. I expect that forthcoming computerisation of LCP project records will help in achieving this.

70. Mr. Coombs

asked the Paymaster General what information he has on the number of tourists visiting the United Kingdom in 1986 by comparison with previous years.

Mr. Trippier

There were about 10.9 million visits to the United Kingdom by overseas residents in the first nine months of 1986. This compares with a record 11.7 million in the first nine months of 1985 and 10.9 million in the first nine months of 1984.

83. Mr. Butterfill

asked the Paymaster General what proposals have been submitted to the European Economic Community Commissioners for better use of European Community funds to assist the development of tourism in general and, in particular, the spread of tourism to economically depressed regions.

Mr. Trippier

The Commission's communication to the Council of 5 February 1986 on Community action in the field of tourism put forward a number of proposals for encouraging the development of tourism within the Community. The Commission stated that it was planning, in collaboration with the member states, to make better use of existing Community financial instruments to assist tourism and particularly to improve its seasonal and geographical distribution. I am not aware of any specific proposals which have been submitted to, or put forward by, the Commission in this respect.