§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received regarding proposals to introduce a rating system for visitor attractions; and if he will make a statement. [95143]
§ Janet AndersonI have received representations from the Historic Houses Association regarding its concerns about a scheme in the West Country and rumours of a national scheme.
754WThe Government are concerned to maintain and improve standards of quality in visitor attractions but there are no plans to introduce a national rating system for visitor attractions.
§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of visits to UK tourist attractions in each year since 1991; and what his estimate is for 1999. [95205]
§ Janet AndersonThe number of visits to UK attractions since 1991 is estimated as follows:
millions Year Number of visits 1991 333 1992 357 1993 367 1994 387 1995 392 1996 402 1997 409 1998 408 Source:
Sightseeing in the UK, English Tourism Council
Data for 1999 are not yet available.
Statistics for different years are not always comparable, because the number of attractions whose figures have been included has varied over the years, reflecting survey developments and the growth in the number of attractions.
§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the balance of payments surplus or deficit on tourism(a) in each year since 1995 and (b) for 1999. [95204]
§ Janet AndersonData from the International Passenger Survey show the following balance of payments for tourism in the period from 1995 to August 1999:
£ millions Exports Imports Balance 1995 11,763 15,386 -3,623 1996 12,290 16,223 -3,933 1997 12,244 16,931 -4,687 1998 12,671 19,489 -6,818 19991 8,625 14,290 -5,665 1 First 8 months
§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the DETR regarding the impact on tourism of the dualling of the remainder of the A30 in Cornwall. [95194]
§ Janet AndersonWhen I visited Cornwall in August, the dualling of the A30 between Bodmin and India Queens was raised with me on a number of occasions. I know that this road improvement is regarded as crucial to the development of tourism in the county, where we are investing heavily through Objective 1, Assisted Area grants and in a major Millennium project. I raised the matter with Lord Whitty at DETR on my return.
Lord Whitty informed me that the Highways Agency has recently awarded a new commission appointing consultants for the scheme which will enable development work to start straight away. It is hoped that a public 755W consultation will take place later this year and that a solution which will benefit tourism in Cornwall will follow.
§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had about tourism courses in(a) higher education and (b) further education. [95202]
§ Janet AndersonWe have regular discussions with other Government Departments, tourism and hospitality bodies and relevant National Training Organisations, (in particular the Travel, Tourism Services and Events National Training Organisation and the Hospitality Training Foundation, the National Training Organisation for the hospitality industry) about the provision of tourism-related courses in both higher and further education.