Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Mark Francois and Cat Smith

Monday 6th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Lab)]

15. What steps his Department is taking to help increase growth, prosperity and the number of jobs in coastal communities.

[The Minister for Communities and Resilience (Mr Mark Francois)]

We have invested more than £120 million across the UK through the coastal communities fund, which is helping to create or safeguard more than 18,000 jobs, provide more than 12,000 training places and attract more than £200 million of match funding. We have also announced a £90 million four-year extension to the fund.

[Cat Smith]

The Minister will be aware that tourism plays an important role in our coastal communities, so how damaging does he think the potential fracking wells on the Fylde coast would be to our tourism industry in the Blackpool area?

[Mr Francois]

I should hope that fracking would not have an impact on tourism as such, although I understand the sensitivities involved in that issue. We are doing a lot to support tourism in the hon. Lady’s constituency through the coastal communities fund. Wyre Borough Council was given a £1.55 million grant in 2014 to create new attractions along Fleetwood seafront to attract more visitors throughout the year. Lancashire County Council got just under £250,000 in 2015 to unlock the heritage potential of Lancaster’s historic St George’s quay. I believe the fund is doing well around the country, particularly in the hon. Lady’s constituency.