§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the English Tourism Council over its(a) inspection charge fees to small hotels and (b) charges made for inclusion in handbooks, directories and other advertising materials. [119719]
§ Janet AndersonI have not discussed this directly, but I am aware the ETC have reviewed their pricing structure to ensure it strikes a fair balance between charges for large and small hotels. The inspection fees and other charges the ETC levies against small hotels for joining their accommodation grading scheme are operational matters for the ETC, which aims to break even and not make a profit. The hotelier receives back some of the fee when the inspector pays for an overnight stay.
The ETC's contractors and the other inspecting bodies (the AA and the RAC) now all inspect properties in England to precisely the same standards but each operates an independent inspection operation with its own scale of fees and package of benefits. It is for customers to choose the most appropriate service provider.