Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Spencer Excerpts
Thursday 22nd October 2015

(8 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Whittingdale Portrait Mr Whittingdale
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I welcome London’s success in attracting international visitors—it is the most visited city in the world—but I agree that our next challenge is to persuade visitors to this country of the fact that there are many attractions outside London, not least in Liverpool. I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his invitation to see the Gormley statues, which I hope I will have an opportunity to do.

Mark Spencer Portrait Mark Spencer (Sherwood) (Con)
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12. Does the Secretary of State recognise the importance of infrastructure in promoting tourism? Will he lend his support to the Robin Hood line so that more people can come and enjoy Sherwood forest and all it has to offer?

John Whittingdale Portrait Mr Whittingdale
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A key element of our five-point plan for tourism is ensuring that tourists visit places outside London, as I have said, and that requires good infrastructure covering road, air and, of course, rail. Of specific interest to my hon. Friend and his constituents will be the work that the Rail Safety and Standards Board is doing on a “rail for tourism” programme, which we hope will be launched in January.