§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance his Department gives local authorities for employing tourism officers. [105049]
§ Janet Anderson[holding answer 17 January 2000]: This Department gives no direct assistance to local authorities for employing tourism officers. However, our guidance pack, "Measuring the Local Impact of Tourism", offers useful advice to tourism officers and others in measuring the value and volume of tourism in local authority areas. The results of any such work may help local authorities determine the number and nature of tourism officers they wish to employ.
Relevant and reliable statistics will also form a useful base for the Cultural Strategies my Department is encouraging local authorities to produces. These will express the local cultural vision and priorities in response to the needs and aspirations of local communities, as well as recognising the role of cultural services—including tourism—in tackling the wider objectives of social inclusion, regeneration, lifelong learning, and healthier and safer communities.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of tourists to the UK in the last year for which figures are available visited(a) the North West and (b) London. [105048]
§ Janet Anderson[holding answer 17 January 2000]: An estimated 23.4 million visits were made to the UK from overseas in 1998, excluding visits from the Republic of Ireland. Overseas visitors spent at least one night in (a) the North West Tourist board regions (encompassing Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire) on 5 per cent. (1.2 million) and (b) London on 52 per cent. (12.3 million) of these trips. Visits on which both the North West and London were visited will be included in the figures for both the respective regions.