Devolution: Arts and Culture

Debate between Lord Wigley and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Monday 15th December 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, decisions regarding the Ulster Orchestra are, of course, matters for the Northern Ireland Executive. I know that meetings have been held with the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and, indeed, with Belfast City Council. I very much hope that those parties can work together to find solutions, but of course the UK Government have a role to play. That is absolutely why all the creative tax reliefs—there are now five and I hope there will be six, with orchestras under consultation—are going to play a very big part in helping creative industries.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the coming year, 2015, is one in which we in Wales are celebrating the cultural links arising from the establishment of the Welsh community in Patagonia?

[Lord Wigley]

I gather from that response that there may not be total awareness of that fact.

Will the UK Government give positive support to the celebrations, as indeed are the Government of Wales and the Government of Argentina? Does the Minister consider that the Government might look on these cultural links as an opportunity and a context in which to seek to improve the relationship between the United Kingdom and Argentina?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, culture plays a big part in our relationship with many countries around the world. I am not briefed on whether the UK Government themselves are helping with the Patagonian exchange, but if one goes to Patagonia, there are Welsh-speaking villages and communities there, so it is important that Patagonia is part of our cultural links. I very much support what the noble Lord said.

UK Economy: Tourism

Debate between Lord Wigley and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Thursday 20th November 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, obviously the first thing I must say is that matters of taxation are for the Chancellor; the Treasury continually reviews all taxation matters. I understand my noble friend’s point about percentages, but the band A rate is £13 and is going to remain that for four years. I do not think it is a considerable sum but it does, in total, contribute nearly £3 billion to the Treasury.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, does the Minister accept that tourism is particularly important in Wales and that overseas tourism brings a disproportionately greater amount of revenue to the Welsh economy? If so, will he take up the matter with VisitBritain and encourage it to turn every stone to ensure that visitors do not just come to London but reach other parts of the UK?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, I entirely agree with the noble Lord. This is why I am very pleased that there is a new £1.5 million Visit Wales campaign, for example, to bring more German visitors to Wales. It is a great experience for them as well as for visitors from America and Ireland. Visit Wales is working with VisitBritain and all the other tourism organisations to ensure that the experiences of all Britain and Great Britain are enjoyed.

Olympics 2016

Debate between Lord Wigley and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Monday 10th November 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, as one of our greatest Paralympians and the only Briton to win six gold medals at a single Games, my noble friend comes to these matters with exceptional experience. I entirely agree with him about Sir John Major and that many of the causes favoured by so many of your Lordships have been transformed because of what was done with the National Lottery. Looking at Sochi, where the no-compromise principles were adhered to for the first time, and the great successes at the Olympics and Paralympics, what my noble friend says has a lot of merit.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that all the home nations have been proactively engaged in the decision-making around the allocation of UK Sport’s investment for the GB Olympic and Paralympic squads for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, UK Sport works very closely with all the national sports bodies, including Sport England, Sport Wales, Sport Northern Ireland and Sport Scotland, precisely to ensure that the allocation is correctly placed. It is trying to ensure that the best athletes come forward and are supported.

Tourism

Debate between Lord Wigley and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Tuesday 13th May 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, I emphasise that the Government recognise that tourism is a vital part of the future of the UK economy. Indeed, the Prime Minister met officials from the Campaign for Tourism only last month. The point that my noble friend makes about manifestos is obviously very potent. I know of at least four government departments that have an interest in tourism: the Treasury, the DCLG, BIS and of course the DCMS. There is a Minister with responsibility for tourism but this is a matter that has cross-departmental importance.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

Will the Minister give attention to the disparity in the number of international tourists who came to various parts of these islands in the decade between 2002 and 2012? Is he aware that over that period, whereas there was an increase of some 30% in London and of more than 40% in Scotland, in Wales there was a marginal decrease and in north-east England a decrease of almost 20%? Will he consider laying down for VisitBritain not only targets for the overall number of international visitors but targets for the regions in England and for the other three nations?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, I say to the noble Lord that I do not think we should have any ceiling for the targets. We have to take the opportunity in the United Kingdom to ensure that as many people as possible visit from abroad and indeed that there is as much domestic tourism as possible. I was interested to note that according to the recent Deloitte report there are currently 206,000 direct and indirect tourism jobs in Wales. Indeed, the Great Britain Tourism Survey for last year showed that British residents made nearly 10 million visits to Wales, which was 3.4% up in comparison with the previous year.

European Union (Referendum) Bill

Debate between Lord Wigley and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Friday 24th January 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, I rather think that the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, was already wanting to speak on the group beginning Amendment 40 and that your Lordships would rather like to hear from the noble Lord.

[Lord Wigley]

My Lords, I support the noble Lord, Lord Anderson, in what he was saying. When he spoke to the earlier bank of amendments, Amendment 28 had not been passed. He therefore had every expectation to be coming to the bank of amendments standing in his name and mine. He said specifically that he would be speaking to them in more detail. It is totally unreasonable that they should be taken out. Can we have an assurance that we can return to all these matters on Report?

Broadcasting: Digital Radio

Debate between Lord Wigley and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Wednesday 22nd January 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, there is another objective: we need to work on cars. At the moment only one in 10 of our cars has digital, and it costs about £100 to convert them. This is one of the reasons why there has been a reflection that this needs to be consumer-led rather than what I would call Government-imposed. A number of the points that were announced on 16 December are precisely to encourage and help with the conversion. The Digital Radio Action Plan, including working with the motor industry and indeed with the DVLA and the DVSA, is all about helping consumers to understand how they can get the best deal.

[Lord Wigley (PC)]

My Lords, the Minister mentioned that the national services may target 97% or 98% whereas local targets would reach 90%. Will he confirm that in Wales, Radio Cymru and Radio Wales will be regarded as national services, particularly since north-west Wales was identified in the September 2013 report as one of the areas of lowest reach?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

I am confident that all parts of the United Kingdom should be well cared for by whatever switchover there may be.

Tourism

Debate between Lord Wigley and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Wednesday 30th January 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, first, I am very conscious that I am replying to a former Minister for Tourism. I assure your Lordships that the Government are taking tourism and its potential extremely seriously. The Prime Minister is leading from the front on this issue; indeed, the Secretary of State and the Minister for Sports and Tourism are fully engaged in promoting it. The Government are investing £137 million over four years via the GREAT campaign, which is delivered through VisitBritain and in partnership with the private sector. Through that investment, we hope that almost 60,000 new job opportunities will be created. Those will of course include job opportunities for the young, while the success story of apprenticeships is very strong.

[Lord Wigley]

My Lords, is the Minister aware of the strong and widespread feeling among tourism operators in Wales that Wales is not being marketed abroad effectively by VisitBritain? This fact was recognised by his ministerial colleague Mr Stephen Crabb, who said earlier this month in another place that there would be a meeting very soon with VisitBritain to discuss the specific problem. Has that meeting taken place and if the Minister does not know, can he make inquiries and let us know the outcome?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

I shall certainly make inquiries for the noble Lord and place a record of the findings in the Library. Clearly, the task and responsibility for VisitBritain is to work with all the other organisations including VisitEngland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and VisitScotland, and they must of course be co-ordinated because VisitBritain has the responsibility to ensure that, across the country, there are greater tourism opportunities. Wales, with its countryside and industrial heritage, is hugely important in that respect.

Devolved Administrations: Industrial Strategy

Debate between Lord Wigley and Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Wednesday 17th October 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, across the United Kingdom, and in Wales of course, there is encouragement for that. In Deeside Enterprise Zone, for instance, the Government have agreed enhanced capital allowances, which will deliver up to 5,000 new jobs. Indeed, the Government are working very closely with the Welsh Government and have provided them with almost £57 million to help to bring broadband to everyone, and superfast speeds to 90% of Welsh homes and businesses. This is all very good news for Wales.

[Lord Wigley]

My Lords, I also wish the Minister well in his new responsibilities, but does he accept that when the devolution settlement was made, the fact that some aspects of economic policy were devolved to Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast was a reflection of the need to have flexibility in policy that reflects the needs and aspirations of the three devolved areas? In those circumstances, does he agree that there is two-way traffic on the question of co-operation and will the Government at Westminster support the devolved regimes in their policies, where those are seen as the priorities for those areas?

[Lord Gardiner of Kimble]

My Lords, as I said before, we will of course be sharing information with all devolved Administrations.