Oral Answers to Questions

Maria Eagle Excerpts

Monday 27th April 2020 Commons Chamber

[Nigel Huddleston]

Many happy returns to the hon. Member! I assure her that we are taking the issues very seriously. We will continue the dialogue and I am hopeful that we can come to a positive conclusion.

[Maria Eagle (Garston and Halewood) (Lab)]

What steps he is taking to support the heritage and tourism sector during the covid-19 outbreak.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Nigel Huddleston)]

The Government are committed to our world-class heritage and tourism sectors. I and my officials are engaging across Government and are in regular weekly discussions with industry stakeholders. The Chancellor has set out an unprecedented support package for businesses and workers, including those in the heritage and tourism sectors, to help protect them in the current emergency. We have also announced a £1.3 million scheme to support destination management organisations, and both the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England have announced sectoral support packages.

[Maria Eagle [V]]

Liverpool’s visitor economy brought in £3.3 billion last year, supporting 6,300 businesses and 57,000 jobs, but by June almost £1 billion will have been lost in Liverpool alone because of the lockdown. Will he undertake to push the Chancellor to extend further the business support he announced to those with a rateable value over £51,000 and to extend help to the self-employed and micro-businesses in the sector, who are falling between the cracks of the available support schemes?

[Nigel Huddleston]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right about the enormous economic value of the tourism industry —not only in her area, but right across the country.

I assure her that we are in regular conversations and dialogue with not only the industry but the Treasury, and those discussions will continue.