§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to stimulate rural tourism.
§ Mr. LeeThe English tourist board is encouraging the provision and improvement of rural tourist attractions and accommodation through its section 4 scheme of financial assistance. Further schemes of support for rural enterprise, including tourism, have also been introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Development Commission. The ETB is consulting these and other interested organisations on the preparation of a rural tourism strategy for England. This is intended to provide a framework to assist effective co-operation between the main public agencies concerned with rural tourism and to stimulate joint tourism initiatives.