| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Tourism
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what financial support was provided by the Government for tourism in England in each month of the financial year (a) 1991–92, (b) 1992–93 and (c) 1993–94; [18165]
- (2) what financial support has been provided by the Government for the support of tourism in England in each month (a) during the financial year 2000–01 and (b) until the latest date for which figures are available in the financial year 2001–02; [18163]
(3) what financial support is available for supporting the tourism industry in (a) each month of the financial year 2001–02 and (b) future years for which budgets have been set. [18164]
Mr. Caborn: Direct Government funding for tourism in England is now based on a three-year funding agreement with the English Tourism Council (ETC). Grant in aid is budgeted in terms of annual allocations. These are provided to the ETC in response to monthly draw down requests which reflect its cash flow needs. In addition to this direct Government funding:
- (a) Local authorities spend over £90 million per year in England promoting and developing tourism in their areas;
- (b) the regional development agencies' business recovery fund has made £74 million available this year to target help for rural businesses, including tourism businesses, affected by the implications of foot and mouth disease; and
- (c) DCMS's £1 billion expenditure on arts, museums, galleries, sport etc also directly benefits tourism.
The following table sets out the DCMS baseline grant in aid allocations for English tourism for the years 1991–92 to 1993–94 and 2000–01 to 2003–04. Baseline funding will rise from £10 million in 2001–02 to £12.5 million in 2003–04.
| Year | £ million |
|---|---|
| 1991–92 | (15)15.1 |
| 1992–93 | (15)16.2 |
| 1993–94 | (15)13.9 |
| 2000–01 | (16)11.0 |
| 2001–02 | (17)10.0 |
| 2002–03 | 12.0 |
| 2003–04 | 12.5 |
(15) These were annual grants to the English Tourism Board, the predecessor of the English Tourism Council.
(16) This includes £1 million grant in aid for transitional costs following the launch of the ETC in 1999 (£1.8 million was also made available for this purpose in 1999–2000).
(17) This figure comprises £9.6 million ETC baseline and £0.4 million for London granted direct to the Greater London Authority. In addition, £0.6 million was awarded to the ETC from the Capital Modernisation Fund and £3.8 million to tackle foot and mouth disease.
28 Nov 2001 : Column: 965W
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact of the foot and mouth crisis on tourism in the south-west. [18417]
Dr. Howells: For the English tourism industry as a whole, our best estimate to date is that the loss of revenue in 2001–02 due to the foot and mouth disease outbreak is likely to be about £3.3 billion in value added terms over the eight-month period (March to October). We have no comparable figure for the south-west at this time.
The west country enjoyed an Indian summer, which has extended the tourist season. This is helping to alleviate the loss of business due to the foot and mouth outbreak. In particular, it appears that senior citizens who would usually be heading for holidays in North America are cancelling and instead taking holidays at home.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effect on tourism in east Devon of transport links with London. [18281]
Mr. Caborn: The London to South Wales and the south-west multi-modal study (SWARMMS) which is currently in progress is looking at solutions to problems on the main transportation corridors in the study area. Completion is expected by April 2002. Two of the main road and rail corridors pass through east Devon. Comments have recently been sought from stakeholders and the public on a provisional strategy which addresses both existing and future problems. The next stage, which is developing individual plans in more detail, is under way for the multi-modal corridors in the study area and four study-wide theme plans.
One of the study's theme plans addresses tourism and is considering the numbers of tourists, their movements and characteristics and identifying schemes and measures that cater for their needs in a sustainable manner. This will provide the more detailed information needed and develop the overall strategy.
Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made as to the effect on tourism in east Devon of (a) the foot and mouth disease outbreak and (b) the terrorist attacks on 11 September; and if she will make a statement. [18284]
Mr. Caborn: Our best estimate is that the revenue loss to the English tourism industry as a whole for March to October due to foot and mouth disease is likely to be around £3.3 billion in value added terms. We have not attempted to assess individual regions, such as the east Devon constituency, since the available data do not enable this to be done with a sufficient degree of reliability.
Reports suggest that the main impact of the drop in overseas tourists since the terrorist attack of 11 September has been felt in London rather than in the regions and some south-west businesses have reported a good autumn, possibly the best in the last 20 years. However, it is too early to predict with any accuracy what the effects of the war against terrorism are likely to be on tourism in the south-west.
28 Nov 2001 : Column: 966W
Disadvantaged People
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how her Department defines those members of society considered to be the most disadvantaged. [18071]
Mr. Caborn: In line with Government policy, my Department considers those who suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environments, bad health and family breakdown to be the most disadvantaged.
Lottery Funds
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received concerning the accountability of (a) the lottery distributing bodies and (b) their application processes to (i) applicants, (ii) the public and (iii) her Department; what assessment she has made of them; and if she will make a statement. [17948]
Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has from time to time received representations about the accountability of the lottery distributors and their application processes. The accounting officer of a lottery distributor is accountable to both the Department's Permanent Secretary and to Parliament for the proper and prudent expenditure of funds, and distributors' activities are subject to external audit by the National Audit Office. As lottery proceeds allocated to distributors are public money, the general principles of Government Accounting must be applied in the design and implementation of systems for the distribution of that money.
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of the variation in expenditure, relative to revenue received, of the lottery income distributing bodies; and if she will make a statement. [17947]
Mr. Caborn: Lottery distributing bodies do not hold the same level of cash balances due to the differing nature of schemes or programmes operated. Funds are committed to a broad range of projects and money is drawn down when it is needed and not before, in compliance with Government Accounting procedures. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport continues to work closely with the lottery distributors to ensure that people see the benefits of Lottery awards as quickly as possible.
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how outdoor adventure facilities will be affected in the west midlands by the new opportunities for school and community sports lottery funds. [18339]
Mr. Caborn: The new opportunities fund has informed local education authorities that it expects between 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. of allocations to be used to develop outdoor adventure facilities. On that basis, between £3,064,000 and £6,127,000 of funding will be used to modernise or build outdoor adventure facilities either in the west midlands or for use by young people from the west midlands.
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance she has offered to education authorities regarding (a) who should be consulted in the west midlands regarding the spending of
28 Nov 2001 : Column: 967W
funding allocations and (b) such spending, under new opportunities for schools and county sport lottery initiative. [18336]
Mr. Caborn: The new opportunities fund has sent guidance materials to all local education authorities (LEAs) including advice on the range of organisations that should be consulted before applications are submitted. The fund would expect LEAs to consult, for example: other local authority departments; sports governing bodies; the NHS; primary care groups; and the voluntary sector. Where local strategic partnerships have been established, the fund expects that they will play a central role in strategic planning for grant schemes.
Workshops have been arranged in January 2002 to help LEAs develop applications in more detail. Sport England will offer advice and support to LEAs, where they request it, on sports development issues.
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what arrangements she has made to monitor (1) the impact of the new opportunities for school and community sport lottery moneys on social exclusion; [18343]
- (2) the positive impact of the new opportunities for school and community sport lottery funds on providing young people with a healthy lifestyle. [18344]
Mr. Caborn: The new opportunities fund is currently developing proposals for the evaluation of the new opportunities for PE and sport programme. The impact of the programme in promoting social inclusion will form part of the evaluative work.
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how she will monitor the provision of new opportunities for school and community sport in disadvantaged areas. [18340]
Mr. Caborn: All applicants will be required to demonstrate how their proposed projects promote social inclusion. When local partnerships complete initial applications the fund will be able to assess how many projects are based in disadvantaged areas or meet the needs of disadvantaged children and communities.
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the provision of sports facilities for children with disabilities under the new opportunities for school and community sport lottery funds. [18335]
Mr. Caborn: Facilities will be developed through the programme that encourage access by all groups in society, including young people with disabilities.
Applications will be assessed against the key aims of the programme, including the promotion of social inclusion through access to and use of sports facilities by all groups in society and innovation and best practice in the design and management of facilities.
Ms Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how she will ensure that money from the new opportunities for school and community sport will provide more opportunities for young people from disadvantaged areas. [18341]
28 Nov 2001 : Column: 968W
Mr. Caborn: Provisional allocations of funding in each local area have been determined using the size of the school age population and the levels of deprivation. Fifty per cent. of the funds available in England has been allocated on the basis of levels of deprivation.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |