Tourism (Hansard, 29 June 1993)

§ Mr. Lang

The tourism review shows that Scottish tourism is in good heart and eager to work at an evolving partnership. The Minister with responsibility for tourism at the Scottish Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, West (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton), will ensure that this is achieved.

Under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend, the composition of the Scottish tourism co-ordinating group will be reviewed and strengthened. It will supervise the preparation of a national strategic plan for Scottish tourism covering business development as well as marketing. The preparation of this plan will be the responsibility of the Scottish tourist board, working in close collaboration with Scottish Enterprise and 434W Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The plan will be put into effect by all three national bodies and will provide a framework for co-operation at local level between business interests, area tourist boards, local enterprise companies and the local authorities. The preparation of effective local strategies will be facilitated. In this way the public sector will help the Scottish tourist industry to forge a strong new sense of purpose.

At the national level the arrangements for supporting Scottish tourism will be clarified. As from 1 April 1994 responsibility for tourism marketing and for area tourist board support will be consolidated in the Scottish tourist board. Also from this date business development activities will he consolidated in the Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise networks. STB's activities under the section 4 scheme of capital assistance will be phased out. As from the date of this announcement no further formal applications for assistance will he accepted. Resources will be transferred to reflect these adjusted responsibilities. In terms of public expenditure the effect will be neutral.

Collaboration among the national agencies will he underpinned by suitable appointments at board level. Arrangements for consulting the tourist industry will be improved by strengthening the Scottish Confederation of Tourism. As part of the "Scotland in the Union" initiative, the Scottish tourist board will establish, by 1 April 1995, a substantial office presence in Inverness and make compensating reductions in staffing levels in Edinburgh, which will remain the head office.

As facilitators, providers of infrastructure and operators of tourist attractions, Scottish local authorities will remain major partners in the tourist industry. The proposed legislation for restructuring local government in Scotland will contain a statutory obligation on councils to 435W participate in the formation of area tourist boards, the number of which will be greatly reduced. It will also provide a power to make an order defining the boundaries of area tourist boards. The Scottish tourist board will be responsible for consulting local authorities and other interests and for advising me on the most suitable future area tourist board structure, which will cover the whole of Scotland.

The proposed legislation will provide a duty on local authorities, where they wish to market their areas as tourist destinations and provide services to visitors, to do so only through an area tourist board. Area tourist boards will be required to co-ordinate overseas activities with those of the Scottish tourist board. In order to encourage further evolution of industry involvement in area tourist boards, the proposed legislation will provide that on executive committees, the members representing trade interests shall be in a majority. My hon. Friend will consider ways of strengthening local authority and area tourist board involvement in the development of tourism policy at the national level.

Overall these changes build on the Scottish tourist industry's strengths, especially its understanding of the need for effective partnerships. They will eliminate the present duplication of effort identified by many who responded to the tourism review. The improved arrangements will help ensure the continued profitability and competitiveness of an industry which has a world-wide reputation for quality, friendliness and good service. My colleagues and I are grateful to all those who contributed to the tourism review with their time and ideas.