HC Deb 14 October 1996 vol 282 cc662-3W
15. Mr. John Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will estimate how many tourists will visit Britain in 1996. [37938]

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The British Tourist Authority currently estimates that there will be 25.8 million overseas visitors to the UK this year, up 7 per cent. on 1995, with expenditure at over £13 billion, an 8 per cent. increase on last year.

22. Mr. Robert Banks

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations she has received on the impact on the tourism industry of a minimum wage. [37946]

Mrs. Bottomley

Tourism industry leaders, including the main trade body, the British Hospitality Association, have expressed their concern about the introduction of a national minimum wage. A minimum wage would cause job losses and restrict the creation of new jobs. The impact on more vulnerable young and unskilled workers would be particularly damaging.

Mr. Callaghan

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the level of investment in tourism projects in the North-west region. [39992]

Mr. Sproat

The North West tourist board receives funding from the English tourist board to develop the quality of the tourism product in north-west England. The ETB subvention to the NWTB was £414,000 in 1995–96. The NWTB raised a further £1.42 million in income from commercial activities and local authority and commercial members' subscriptions. Tourism in the region also benefits from the single regeneration budget, and from Objective 1 status for Merseyside and objective 2 status for Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria under the European regional development fund. Twenty-eight mecu is allocated to tourism and cultural projects within the 1994 to 1999 objective 1 programme in Merseyside, and 24 mecu within the 1994 to 1996 objective 2 programme in Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria.