§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether the grant facilities outlined in European Community Document 8794/88 (Proposal for Action Programme of European Tourism Year 1990) will(a) become available before 1990 and (b) be available for holiday cottage development;
(2) when the European Economic Community tourist grant will be made available for the first time in the United Kingdom;
(3) when the European Economic Community tourist grant will be available to the owners of holiday accommodation; and when the final financial details of the scheme will be known.
540W
§ Mr. LeeThe funds available under the action programme for European Tourism Year are available for assisting approaches to the promotion of off-season, cultural, rural and social and other forms of tourism and tourism by young people. The Commission will have 2.5 million ecu (about £1.6 million) available in 1990 to contribute up to 40 per cent. of the cost of projects, from anywhere in the Community, which it selects for assistance. All the methods for applying for financial assistance have yet to be finally decided. The Commission intends to start considering applications in 1989.
§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will enable the English Tourist Board to be a party to the tourist policy review.
§ Mr. LeeThe English Tourist Board and the British Tourist Authority have been involved fully with the review which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on July 18. The boards' chairmen, each individual member of the boards, and board officials have been seen by the review team. The review team have also received written submissions from the boards.