Foot and Mouth (Hansard, 30 April 2001)

§ 21. Mr. Dalyell
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to his oral answer of 26 March 2001,Official Report, column 663, on tourism 485W and foot and mouth, what estimate he has made of the loss of tourism businesses as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak in the past four weeks. [158160]

§ Mr. Chris Smith
Our best estimate on the basis of the information so far obtained is that losses of revenue by the English tourism industry will be around £140 million per week averaged over the eight month tourist season. I do not have any estimate of the number of businesses which may be lost as a result of foot and mouth. It is precisely in order to prevent such losses that the Government have introduced a package of measures to help small and rural tourism businesses.

§ Mr. Edwards
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement about financial compensation for tourist businesses adversely affected by foot and mouth. [158152]

§ Janet Anderson
A package of financial measures to help tourist businesses affected by foot and mouth was announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and chairman of the Rural Task Force, on 20 March.

§ Mr. Levitt
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from the Youth Hostels Association in respect of the damage it has suffered as a not-for-profit organisation within the tourist industry during the course of the recent foot and mouth experience; if he will take special measures to assist not-for-profit organisations in these circumstances; and if he will make a statement. [159348]

§ Janet Anderson
The Department has received representations from the Youth Hostels Association on the effects of the foot and mouth disease outbreak on the Association.
A range of relief measures are now available in rural areas and we have provided additional funding for promotional work by the English Tourism Council and British Tourist Authority. However, we have no plans to introduce special measures for not-for profit organisations at this time.

§ Mr. Peter Ainsworth
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from(a) the English Tourism Council and (b) the British Tourist Authority on the cost of additional marketing campaigns to combat the economic impact of foot and mouth disease. [159386]

§ Mr. Chris Smith
[holding answer 27 April 2001]: The English Tourism Council(ETC) has made representations for additional funding in support of the Government's aim to reinforce the message that Britain is open for business and to enable them to assist with the recovery plan following the foot and mouth outbreak. On 6 April, my Department announced that £3.8 million in additional funding was being made available to the ETC for an advertising and promotion campaign to restore public confidence in visiting the countryside. The British Tourist Authority (BTA) has also made representations for additional funding in support of the Government's aim to reinforce the message overseas that. Britain is open for business. On 6 April, my Department announced that £2.2 million in additional funding was being made available to the BTA for the pro notion of tourism overseas.
486W
On 25 April, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced in the House that more money will be allocated to tourism promotion work. A further announcement will be made in the next few days.