HC Deb 30 January 1989 vol 146 cc74-5W
Mr. Porter

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage the tourist industry in Suffolk and Norfolk to take advantage of the Channel tunnel and the European single market.

Mr. Lee

The British Tourist Authority (BTA), which is sponsored by my Department, is doing a great deal both to identify and publicise the measures the tourist industry, including that in Norfolk and Suffolk, need to take. The BTA is co-sponsoring a major conference on 1 and 2 February on the impact on tourism of the completion of the single European market at which my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I will speak.

Mr. Burt

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the progress of the tourism review that he announced on 18 July 1988.

Mr. Fowler

As the public expenditure White Paper makes clear, the Government's expenditure plans provide for my Department's total spending on tourism to be maintained at the current level, pending decisions following the review of tourism policy I announced in July.

A scheme of financial assistance has been operated for nearly 20 years now by the English tourist board under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969. Commitments have already been made to provide over £ 10 million in assistance through the scheme in 1989–90, and some £3 million in 1990–91 and 1991–92. The scheme offers grants, and other assistance, and was introduced and maintained against a background of difficulty in attracting investment for tourism projects. Tourism is now one of Britain's largest and fastest growing industries. The confidence of the industry has been reflected in continuing high levels of investment. In England, almost £2 billion was invested in major tourism and leisure projects completed or under way during the first six months of 1988. In these circumstances, I have decided to suspend the scheme to fresh applications until decisions can be taken on the fully range of matters covered by the review.

I have asked the chairman of the English tourist board to close the scheme to further applications and to make no more offers of assistance subsequent to those approved at the meeting of the board already arranged for 14 February until I have had the opportunity to consider the future of Government support for the tourism industry.