HC Deb 17 November 1987 vol 122 cc506-8W
16. Mr. Paice

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will encourage the setting up of more tourism business advice services similar to the one set up by the Small Firms Service and the East Anglia tourist board.

Mr. Lee

I was very pleased to launch the East Anglian initiative last June which I understand is working well. I also applaud the further initiatives undertaken by the small firms service and the Northumbria and Cumbria tourist boards; and I would strongly urge similar collaborative efforts in other regions.

22. Mr. Bevan

To ask the Secretary of State for employment whether inner city capital refurbishment schemes are being used to rejuvenate areas of tourist interest.

Mr. Lee

Yes. Both the urban programme and the urban development grant scheme have assisted projects to provide facilities and amenities in inner city areas which improve their attractiveness to tourists.

51. Mr. Redwood

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on how much of the turnover in the United Kingdom tourist industry in 1986 can be accounted for in percentage terms by(a) the accommodation, food and drink sector, (b) the transport and related services sector, (c) the retail distribution sector and (d) the recreation and entertainment sector.

Mr. Lee

The approximate percentages of the turnover in the United Kingdom tourist industry in 1987 accounted for by the four specific sectors are:

Per cent.
Accommodation, food and drink 40
Transport and related services 35
Retail distribution 15
Recreation and entertainment (includes some other miscellaneous services) 10

52. Mr. Butler

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has regarding the effectiveness of the English tourist board's gold crown hotel classification in achieving higher standards in hotels.

Mr. Lee

The English tourist board's five gold crown awards are made to hotels that have achieved five crown status under the board's crown classification scheme and in addition offer the highest standards of facilities and service. So far about six hotels have received the award and the ETB expects to make more awards in the near future. As the scheme has been in operation for less than a year. Information on its effect in raising standards is not yet available.

68. Mr. Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a breakdown by region of 1986's job gains in the tourism sector.

Mr. Lee

The regional breakdown requested is not available for tourism-related industries in 1986. However, regional estimates for employees in employment in the hotel and catering industry, which includes canteens and messes, are available and the changes in each region from December 1985 to December 1986, in both absolute and percentage terms, are shown in the table :

Absolute Percentage
South East +1,000 —
East Anglia +1,000 +4
South West +1,000 +1
West Midlands 0 —
East Midlands +4,000 +7
Yorks and Humberside +7,000 +7
North West +8,000 +6
North +1,000 +1
Wales +3,000 +7
Scotland -1,000 -1
Great Britain +25,000 +2

72. Mr. Colin Shepherd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the working population in employment works in the tourist industry.

Mr. Lee

In June 1987, the industries most directly related to tourism accounted for approximately 6 per cent. of all employees in employment. Up-to-date estimates for the number of self-employed in tourism-related industries are not available.

88. Mrs. Maureen Hicks

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he intends to make to provide for co-ordination of the work of the British Tourist Authority and the national tourist boards.

Mr. Lee

The chairmen of the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland tourist boards are ex-officio members of the British Tourist Authority under the terms of the Development of Tourism Act 1969. The chairman of the British Tourist Authority also holds the post of chariman of the English tourist board. Ministers with responsibility for tourism matters also meet regularly to discuss items of common interest.

89. Mr. Robert G. Hughes

To ask the Secretary for State of Employment if he will make a statement on the impact of the tourist industry on employment in greater London.

Mr. Lee

The latest estimate of employees on tourism-related industries in greater London is 187,000 and relates to September 1984. More recent estimates of employment in just the hotel and catering industry, which includes canteens and messes, but excludes libraries, museums, art galleries, sports and other recreational facilities, show that there were 168,000 employees in employment in greater London in June 1987 compared with a figure of 157,000 in September 1984.

90. Mr. Gregory

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his latest estimate for the volume of visitors to the United Kingdom in the current year and the value of their expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Cope

In the first eight months of 1987 there were 11 million visits to the United Kingdom by overseas residents, who spent a total of £4,200 million while in this country. These figures represent an increase in visitor numbers of 14 per cent. over the corresponding period in 1986, and a 17 per cent. increase in their spending. The figures are very encouraging and give rise to the hope that 1987 will be a very good year for the United Kingdom tourism industry.