Travel Agents

Lord Fowler Excerpts

Monday 23rd November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

We have many consultations with the industry and we have put in place a strong package of financial support that businesses in the sector can access, including government-backed loans, various grant schemes and the extended furlough and self-employed support schemes.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

I call the noble Baroness, Lady Wheatcroft. No? We will move on. I call the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan.

[Lord Moynihan (Con)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as someone whose holiday was understandably cancelled due to Covid. Does my noble friend the Minister agree that it is unacceptable that some travel agents should still be holding back on refunding customers and using customer payments as interest-free loans to their business without customer consent? Should not the ending of such practices be a condition precedent of eligibility for government support schemes, as well as future certification as fit and proper travel agents?

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I will indeed pass on my noble friend’s concerns. As I have said, I cannot predict what will be in the announcement tomorrow, but we have been looking very closely at all the problems that exist for the tourism sector, in particular for those who want to travel abroad. I will certainly pass on my noble friend’s remarks.

[The Lord Speaker (Lord Fowler)]

My Lords, all supplementary questions have been asked. We now come to the fourth Oral Question.