HL Deb 10 June 2002 vol 636 c14WA
Lord Fearn

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What grants or resources have been given to the English Tourism Council to support its work in promoting tourism in England during the years 1999, 2000, 2001 and in 2002 to date. [HL4462]

Baroness Blackstone

The following table sets out the baseline grant-in-aid funding available to the English Tourism Council (ETC) in its role of supporting and promoting English tourism for the financial years 1999–2000 to 2002–03. Since its transformation from the old English Tourist Board in July 1999, the ETC's remit has been to drive forward research, improve quality standards, promote best practice and innovation, co-ordinate data collection and analysis and act as a voice for successful sustainable tourism in England.

1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03
£11.8 million1 £11.0 million2 £9.6 million3 £11.6 million4
1 This includes £1.8 million grant-in-aid for transitional costs following the launch of the ETC in 1999.
2 This includes £1 million grant-in-aid for transitional costs following the launch of the ETC in 1999.
3 The ETC was also awarded £3.8 million to tackle foot and mouth disease and £0.6 million for the Capital Modernisation Fund: £0.4 million for London was granted by DCMS direct to the Greater London Authority (GLA) under the terms of the GLA Act.
4 The ETC has also received £1 million for the Million Visitor Campaign, £2.4 from the Invest to Save Budget, £0.3 million from both the Capital Modernisation Fund and £0.3 million from the Small Business Service: £0.4 million for London was again granted direct to the Greater London Authority.

The ETC has not had a remit for, nor resources allocated to, domestic marketing. However, it did receive additional funds of £3.8 million during 2001–02 to undertake some promotional activity during the foot and mouth outbreak. Of this sum, about £3 million was spent on visitor information and marketing by the ETC or the regional tourist boards.

On 13 May the Government announced radical change to the English Tourism Council and the creation of a public-private coalition that will market England to the UK market and develop e-tourism.