Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Tourism: Coastal Towns

Thursday 28 November 2024 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Tourism is vital to coastal towns, and the government aims to attract 50 million international visitors to the UK by 2030.
  • Tourism and hospitality contribute over 500 million and a fifth of all jobs in North West Norfolk.
  • The Budget is seen as a "blow" for tourism and hospitality sectors by UKHospitality.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Luke Myer Lab Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Economy Business & Trade
Context

The question arises from the importance of tourism in coastal areas, with a focus on specific assets like Land of Iron.

Question

What recent assessment has been made of the contribution of tourism to the local economies of coastal towns. The coastal village of Skinningrove is home to a fantastic tourist asset, Land of Iron, which is the leading ironstone mining museum in the country. I am campaigning for it to receive national status as the national ironstone mining museum. Will Ministers consider meeting me to discuss that request, and would they like to visit?

Answer from Chris Bryant

Tourism is vital to our coastal towns, and if we are to reach our target of 50 million international visitors to the UK by 2030, we will need to do far better at improving tourism numbers in our coastal towns. My hon. Friend challenges me a bit. The Rhondda has the best mining museum in the UK, but I am prepared to concede that in England he might be right. But there is an important point: our mining heritage is part of understanding the country that we have been, and the country that we can be in future. I am very happy to meet my hon. Friend.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitment to discuss Land of Iron's national status was not clearly stated.

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Q2 Luke Myer Lab Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
Economy Transport
Context

The question addresses the negative effects of higher business rates on tourism businesses in North West Norfolk.

Question

Tourism and hospitality contributes more than £500 million and a fifth of all jobs in North West Norfolk. Why are the Government hitting those businesses with higher business rates and a jobs tax?

Answer from Chris Bryant

It would be good, would it not, to have an NHS that works in this country. It would be good to have an economy that works, trains that run on time, and a country that functions so that when tourists come here they have a good experience, rather than sitting on a platform waiting for a train that never turns up on time.

Not addressed: Did not address the question about higher business rates and job tax.

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Q3 James Wild Con North West Norfolk
Employment Business & Trade
Context

The question focuses on the negative impact of the recent budget changes, particularly higher national insurance rates, on the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Question

The Budget has created a perfect storm for hospitality and tourism businesses across the country. UKHospitality is sounding the alarm, saying that the Budget is a “blow” for the tourism and hospitality sectors. According to the Minister's impact assessment, how many jobs will be created as a result of lowering the national insurance threshold, and how many businesses will close, as we suspect they will? What does his impact assessment tell him will be the impact on ethnic minority communities, women, and those with disabilities for whom the tourism and hospitality sector is a huge employer? Will he tell the House whether he even has an impact assessment for one of the most damaging and regressive taxes that we will ever see?

Answer from Chris Bryant

The irony is, we have already had two debates on these issues in the last fortnight—thanks to you, Mr Speaker. First, I welcome the hon. Member to his place and his new responsibilities. I look forward to working with him.

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details from impact assessments or address job creation/business closures due to national insurance changes.

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Q4 Saqib Bhatti Con Meriden and Solihull East
Brexit
Context

Continuation from previous exchange, focusing on the negative impact of budget changes.

Question

The truth of the matter is that the tourism industry has really struggled over the last few years, partly because of Brexit and partly because of covid. Under the last few years of the Conservative Government, it did not get back to its pre-covid level of 41 million visitors to the UK—it is now at 38 million. As I said, I want us to get to 50 million by 2030. The only way we are going to do that is if we significantly improve the offer at every stage of the experience of visitors coming to the United Kingdom.

Answer from Chris Bryant

Yes, there are undoubtedly challenges for the hospitality industry—I said this in a speech yesterday afternoon—but the thing that really worries me is that historically we in this country have seen a job in the industry as something that someone has to do when they have not got another job. I want to change that so that it is a career to be proud of; something respectable that someone might do for their whole life.

Not addressed: Did not provide specific government actions or support for tourism and hospitality sectors.

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