Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with the Eden Project on support for Eden Portland.

The Department welcomes the ambition of the Eden Project Portland and its stated aims to contribute to tourism, biodiversity education, and scientific learning on the Jurassic Coast.

In relation to departmental support, officials discussed the project with representatives of the Eden Portland Project on 22 April 2025. It was explained that while primary responsibility for considering central Government funding for a project of this nature rests with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, my department would be happy to engage with them to express our support for the project’s significant cultural, heritage, and tourism contributions.

I remain focussed on creating the conditions for the visitor economy to thrive. My department is working closely with the sector to draft a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, which we anticipate publishing later this year. We encourage projects like Eden Portland to engage with their Local Visitor Economy Partnership, in this case the Visit Dorset Business Support Hub, to ensure they are aligned with and can benefit from this important work.