§ Mr. SimmondsTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the Fitness for Purpose Initiative. [113717]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Fitness for Purpose initiative was launched in the autumn 2001 by my Department in conjunction with the Local Government Association. The initiative promotes better inspection and regulation of hotels, guesthouses and bed and breakfast accommodation which are failing to meet minimum legal requirements on health and safety, food hygiene, trading standards and fire safety, in order to help them improve. Further details can be found at www.culture.gov.uk/tourism.
From April this year, leading local authorities have been carrying out pilot studies of the initiative in major English tourist destinations. The lessons from these pilots will form the basis of a full set of proposals which DCMS and the Local Government Association will produce next year. We then hope to see Fitness for Purpose adopted across England from 2004.