Greg Mulholland
Main Page: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)(13 years, 3 months ago)
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Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty) (Con)
I thank the Minister for attending this debate, which is important for the Yorkshire region. I also thank my Yorkshire colleagues for getting up early this morning for a debate on an industry that means so much to our great county.
The tourism industry is a rare wealth generator for this country and one of our most important industries. The variety and history of our landmarks, monuments, countryside and culture are powerful magnets for visitors from all over the world. Important events such as next year’s Olympics will continue to contribute greatly to putting Britain firmly at centre stage, globally.
A little more than a year ago, the Prime Minister gave a speech on the importance of tourism in the UK and launched the first ever tourism policy in this country. That landmark policy set out targets for attracting 4 million extra visitors to Britain over the next four years and is backed by £100 million-worth of marketing campaigns. Along with that increase in visitor numbers, the policy aims to increase the proportion of UK residents who holiday in the UK to match that of those who choose to holiday abroad each year.
This country has some of the most spectacular and wide-ranging scenery and holiday destinations, most particularly—I am sure those present will all agree—in Yorkshire, God’s own county. It is important that we encourage the British people to make the most of what they have on their doorstep.
Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD)
I thank my hon. Friend and Yorkshire colleague. He will be pleased to know that I was happy once again to take my family to Yorkshire on our summer holiday. I apologise to him and to you, Mr Hancock, because I have to leave for an equally important event for Yorkshire; it is the launch of the Leeds city region bid for the green investment bank—something that colleagues will also support.
My hon. Friend is right about the offering that Yorkshire has, with two national parks, some of the finest coast in the country and a host of attractions. I pay tribute to the wonderful and important work that Welcome to Yorkshire does in promotion. I ask the tourism Minister not only to be a champion for tourism in this country, which I am sure he will be, but to ensure that he speaks to his colleagues in the Treasury—
Mr Mike Hancock (in the Chair)
Order. You are pushing your luck; this is an intervention, not a speech. You have apologised for having to leave, so ask your question and then we will move on.
Greg Mulholland
Thank you, Mr Hancock. I am asking my question now. Can the Minister, in his discussions with the Treasury, ensure that sustainable development cannot include the deliberate closure of pubs and other community assets, which are enormously important to the whole of Yorkshire? People are cashing in those assets for the one fast buck of development, but that is not sustainable development.
Mr Mike Hancock (in the Chair)
That is not a precedent for anyone else. Mr Mulholland, I think you owe the House apologies for that; it was an intervention, not a Member’s speech or a speech in lieu because you had to leave. May we bear that in mind for future reference?