§ Mr. GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance she is providing to regional development agencies on the importance of tourism in setting priorities for capital investment in their regions. [58582]
§ Alan JohnsonIt is for the Regional Development Agencies to determine how best to deliver their Regional Economic Strategies, in consultation with their regional partners. Under the Single Budget, operating since 1 April this year, the Agencies have much greater flexibility to target their resources on regional priorities, which may include appropriate tourism-linked measures. However, corporate planning guidance issued to the Agencies in October 2001 set out the Government's expectations of the Agencies in terms of the development and implementation from April 2002 of sustainable tourism strategies. We expect that Regional Development agencies will take account of the importance of capital investment in their regions in planning all their activities, including those related to tourism.