HC Deb 14 March 1989 vol 149 cc197-8W
35. Mr. Speller

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to change the grant structure of the tourist boards for the United Kingdom.

Mr. Lee

A wide range of issues is being looked at as part of the tourism review announced last July. The review report is currently under consideration.

59. Mr. Tredinnick

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current levels of capital investment in the tourist industry.

Mr. Lee

The English tourist board's "Tourism Investment Report" shows that the total amount spent on tourism projects in England, with a value of £0.5 million or more, which were completed in 1988 was £605 million. Investment in such projects which were still under construction at 31 December 1988 totalled £2,114 million.

64. Mr. Bevan

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the moratorium on section 4 grants has had any effect on the levels of capital investment in tourism and hospitality developments; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

The suspension of the section 4 scheme was announced some seven weeks ago and it is too early to assess what effect this has had on the level of capital investment. However, the £13.2 million spent on the section 4 scheme in the current financial year is minuscule compared with total new capital investment in tourism and leisure, estimated to be worth £2.5 billion in major projects in England during the last six months of 1988 and thus the moratorium is unlikely to have had any significant effect.

93. Mr. French

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the prospects for the tourism industry in 1989.

Mr. Lee

Levels of investment and forward bookings show that prospects for the domestic tourism industry in 1989 are excellent. A recent survey carried out by the English tourist board indicates that there has been an upsurge in bookings for holidays in Britain. Operators are reporting increases of up to 50 per cent. on 1988 so far this year and coupled with approximately £2 billion worth of facilities due to come on stream make the prospects for 1989 very promising.

160. Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the BTA to discuss the promotion of Britain in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

Both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I frequently meet the chairman of the British Tourist Authority. There are no plans for a separate meeting to discuss this specific issue.

167. Mr. Butterfill

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the British Tourist Association to discuss promotion of tourism from Japan to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Lee

I frequently meet the chairman of the British Tourist Authority to discuss aspects of promotion of tourism from overseas and we are both aware of the great potential of the Japanese market. In June I hope to lead a delegation of senior figures in the tourism industry to Japan to explore ways of encouraging more Japanese visitors to Great Britain. This will build on the Government's wider "Opportunity Japan" campaign of which tourism is an integral part.