HC Deb 03 December 1996 vol 286 c588W
Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage for what reasons no funding tenders for the Philoxenia European tourism programme will be issued in January 1997; and if she will make a statement. [6990]

Mr. Sproat

The Council of Ministers has not yet discussed the Commission's Philoxenia proposal. Like several other Member states, we have reservations about whether it represents good value for money. The Government want to see the tourism unit in the Commission ensuring that throughout the Commission the interests of tourism are taken into account when policy decisions are being considered. But we remain to he convinced that any extra funding is necessary to achieve this.