Hospitality Businesses

Earl of Devon Excerpts

Tuesday 27th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Stockwood (Lab)]

I welcome the noble Lord to the Chamber and thank him for his question. The national government policy that has been announced since we came in is critical, and local government is an even more critical part of leadership in our communities. Not only do local authorities offer the vision and ability to enact what is relevant to each community but they are close enough to the hospitality sector and individual high streets to know what is needed. I thank the noble Lord for his contributions so far and look forward to working with him.

[The Earl of Devon (CB)]

My Lords—

[Lord Harper (Con)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[The Earl of Devon (CB)]

My Lords, hospitality businesses across the south-west of England, particularly those in our coastal and rural areas beloved of tourists, suffer from an inability to attract staff in specialist roles. A major cause of this is a chronic lack of suitable housing, particularly due to planning restrictions and the popularity of second homes. What steps are His Majesty’s Government taking to ensure that housing is available for those seeking a career in hospitality in our rural and coastal communities? I note my interest as the owner of a hospitality business in Devon.

[Lord Stockwood (Lab)]

I believe the original Question was about helping the hospitality sector. The comment about housing is outside the purview of my domain of expertise as Minister for Investment. However, the Government are investing in young people’s futures holistically. We have seen a sharp decline in apprenticeships. We are trying to implement a new foundation apprenticeship to give young people a route into critical sectors. While I acknowledge that housing is a critical part of that, making the economy grow more holistically is a way that we can ensure that the hospitality sector works in its own right.