Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Britain is GREAT campaign is taking to (a) promote visitor accommodation services and (b) increase the affordability of holidays in the UK.
Answered by Helen Grant
The GREAT Britain campaign is a marketing campaign designed to show the world that Britain is a great place to visit, study in, invest in and do business with. It forms part of a wider, international tactical campaign to attract visitors to Britain, and, as such, it has not taken any direct steps to promote visitor accommodation services or increase the affordability of holidays in the UK.
It is not the role of government to promote visitor accommodation services because by doing so we would be in breach of EU State Aid regulations. The cost of holidays at different times of the year is also something for the commercial judgement of the industry.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the delay in debating the draft Council Regulation on the European Citizens Programme on funding for civil society organisations in UK planning (a) events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War and (b) other events; what the timescale for implementation and release of monies under the Programme is; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
No formal assessment has been undertaken. Following completion of the Parliamentary scrutiny process the UK voted in support of the programme, which is now ready for implementation. The timing of the release of monies under the programme is a matter for the EU Commission, and it is expected that details will be made available in due course on the Commission web-site, which is: http://ec.europa.eu/citizenship/about-the-europe-for-citizens-programme/future-programme-2014-2020/index_en.htm
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which research studies used by his Department in formulating policy on fixed odds betting terminals (a) have and (b) have not received industry funding or support; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Helen Grant
The Government considers a wide range of available research when formulating gambling policy. The Government is mindful of the provenance of research, and its funding source, when interpreting findings.