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24 July 2006 : Column 968W—continued
My predecessor chaired two Skills Summits with People 1(st) and industry representatives to develop a draft National Skills Strategy, which is based on sectoral priorities of improving retention rates and skills levels for management, chefs and customer service. Agreement of a final employer-led Strategy is planned for the winter.
We also work closely with People 1(st) and industry to ensure full advantage is taken of wider initiatives such as Train to Gain, National Skills Academies and Skills Passports.
Given the nature of the tourism sector and the domination of small and micro businesses, these developments will be of direct benefit to them.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what Government support for the tourism industry was in 2005-06; and if she will make a statement. [87396]
Mr. Woodward: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provided support to the tourism industry via grant-in-aid to VisitBritain of £49.3 million in 2005-06. VisitBritain used this money to market and promote the UK to both the domestic and international markets.
In addition, DCMS contributed £3.6 million to the regional development agencies’ single pot in support of their strategic responsibilities for tourism in the regions.
A further £1.9 million was allocated to the Greater London authority to support the Mayor’s statutory tourism duties.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department provides to assist small tourism enterprises in the use of information technology. [87399]
Mr. Woodward: My Department does not provide direct assistance to small tourism businesses in the use of information technology. Such assistance is available to tourism and other businesses through the Small Business Service.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department gives to VisitBritain for e-tourism; and if she will make a statement. [87400]
Mr. Woodward: VisitBritain’s e-tourism activities are supported by grant-in-aid from my Department. These activities include the EnglandNet project, to which a total of £10 million has been allocated, including £2 million over the current spending review period from 2005-06 to 2007-08.
The EnglandNet portal is administered by VisitBritain and fully supported by the regional development agencies, which are providing partnership funding from 2005-06. EnglandNet provides comprehensive destination information for overseas and domestic visitors, with facilities for instant booking of accommodation and other services using the websites of VisitBritain’s commercial and public sector partners. The portal took its first live booking in December 2005.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's planned expenditure is on the tourism sector outside London in each of the next three years. [87401]
Mr. Woodward: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provides support to the tourism industry via grant-in-aid to VisitBritian (VB). VisitBritian uses this money to market and promote the UK to both the domestic and international markets.
The level of grant-in-aid for VB agreed as part of the 2004 Spending Review was as follows:
| £000 | |||
| Resource | Capital | Total | |
It is not possible to provide details of VB’s grant-in-aid beyond 2007-08, this will be decided following the completion of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
In addition, my Department contributes £3.6 million per year to the Regional Development Agencies’ Single Pot in respect of their tourism role.
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourists visited (a) London and (b) each London borough in each year since 1997. [87254]
Mr. Woodward: The tables set out the number of visits to London from (i) overseas and (ii) the UK where this included an overnight stay. Information is provided for 2000 to 2005, equivalent data prior to this are not available.
| Inbound visits to London by year | |
| Visit (all) (Thousand) | |
| (1) 2005 data are provisional. Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS). | |
| Domestic overnight trips to London by year | |
| Visit (all) (Thousand) | |
| (1) VisitBritain believes the old UKTS methodology significantly underreported 2004. (2) In 2005 an improved methodology was introduced for UKTS therefore direct comparison with previous years is not appropriate. Source: UK Tourism Survey (National Tourist Boards). | |
In addition, London receives a substantial number of day visitors, the last Leisure Day Visitors Survey in 2002-03 recorded a total of 169 million to the region.
My Department does not have details of tourist visits to each London borough.
TV Transmitters
Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) television transmitters and (b) relay stations there are in (i) Ceredigion, (ii) Wales and (iii) the UK. [88859]
Mr. Woodward: Ceredigion has one transmitter and 13 relays. The main transmitter is at Blaen Plwyf.
In Wales there are seven transmitters and 202 relays and in the UK there are 51 transmitters and 1,105 relays.
UK School Games
Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what part volunteers will play in the running of the 2006 UK School Games in Glasgow; [86726]
(2) if she will list the applicants who submitted tenders to run the UK School Games for 2007 to 2011; and if she will make a statement; [86727]
(3) whether the Youth Sports Trust has subcontracted any part of the running of the UK School Games for 2006; and if she will make a statement. [86789]
Mr. Caborn: The selection of an operator to organise the UK School Games for 2006 and for 2007-11, and the subsequent grant of National Lottery money was a matter for the Millennium Commission. In my capacity as Chair of the Commission, I will write to the hon. Gentleman on this matter and arrange for copies of my reply to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Visitor Attractions
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the number of visitors to (a) the Avebury monuments, (b) Bowood House, (c) Corsham Court, (d) Lacock Abbey, (e) Iford Manor, (f) Longleat, (g) Stourhead, (h) Old Wardour Castle and (i) Silbury Hill in each year since 1997. [88242]
Mr. Lammy: The Department does not hold estimates of the number of visitors to Bowood House, Corsham Court, Lacock Abbey, Iford Manor, Longleat or Stourhead.
The Avebury Monuments, including Silbury Hill, have free access and it is difficult to gain an accurate estimate of the number of visitors due to the nature of the site. A survey held by Bournemouth University in 1996-1998 gave an approximate figure of 350,000 a
year. Data for 1999-2000, give an annual figure of 342,000 and 276,600 for the year 2004-05.
Visitor figures for the English Heritage property of Old Wardour Castle is as follows:
| Number | |
Wembley Stadium
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the likely impact on the Brent economy when Wembley Stadium opens. [87784]
Mr. Caborn: It is estimated that when the Wembley Stadium opens it will attract around 2.5 million visitors a year, bringing an estimated annual visitor spend of £229 million to Wembley and the surrounding area. Around 7,500 permanent job opportunities will be created by economic activity directly related to the stadium.
The stadium development has also acted as a catalyst for investment in the wider regeneration of Wembley. An improved transport system, new shops, new leisure and community facilities, thousands of new jobs and 8,500 new homes will all help to bring a major boost to the Brent economy.
Youth Charter Organisation
Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications for lottery funding have been made by the Youth Charter organisation in the past five years; and how many such applications have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful. [87974]
Mr. Caborn: There has been one award to the Youth Charter for Sport, Culture and the Arts. This was awarded by Sport England in May 2005. The Department does not collect information about unsuccessful lottery applications.
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 24 July 2006
Duchy of Lancaster
Advertising Campaigns
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what advertising campaigns her Department ran between 2000 and June 2004; and what the (a) date and (b) cost was of each. [87070]
Mr. McFadden: Significant advertising campaigns in support of specific policies are managed centrally through Cabinet Office Communication Group and placed through the Central Office of Information (COI).
Details of advertising costs are shown in the table which reflects expenditure for financial years 2000-01 to 2003-04.
Cabinet Office systems are not sufficiently structured to provide accurate Cabinet Office recruitment advertising information prior to 1 April 2004.
Cabinet Office is also responsible for the advertising and filling of Fast Stream vacancies across the civil service, the advertising data for this are only available from 2001.
| Dates | Budget/spend | |
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