Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to undertake an assessment of the potential economic impacts on (i) Cornwall, and (ii) the wider UK economy, arising from capacity constraints in the commercial laundry sector during peak seasonal demand in areas with high levels of tourism.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises that commercial laundries provide an essential service that supports the daily operations of the UK’s hospitality and tourism industries.
The Department for Business and Trade has not made a formal assessment, nor does it have any current plans to, on the contribution of the commercial laundry industry to the economy.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of the commercial laundry industry to the economy.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government recognises that commercial laundries provide an essential service that supports the daily operations of the UK’s hospitality and tourism industries.
The Department for Business and Trade has not made a formal assessment, nor does it have any current plans to, on the contribution of the commercial laundry industry to the economy.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the role of commercial laundries in the resilience of the hospitality supply chain, including the extent to which hotels and the wider hospitality sector depend on them for the supply of linen.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS recognises that commercial laundries provide an essential service that supports the daily operations of the UK’s hospitality and tourism industries.
DCMS has not made a formal assessment of the role of commercial laundries in the resilience of the hospitality supply chain. However, officials maintain regular engagement with a wide range of business stakeholders and trade associations to monitor the health of the hospitality supply chain and to understand the interdependencies between service providers and the wider economy.
The Government remains committed to ensuring a resilient business environment and continues to keep the challenges facing these interconnected sectors under review.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the level of risk of closure of zoos and aquariums as a result of increased operating costs; and what steps she is taking to mitigate that risk.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the significant contribution zoos and aquariums make to the visitor economy, supporting local growth and global conservation. DCMS monitors the sector's performance closely through VisitBritain/VisitEngland.
The Visitor Attraction Trends in England 2024 report demonstrates the sector's resilience, with England’s attractions reporting a 1.4% increase in visits and an 8% increase in gross revenue from 2023-2024. Major zoos remain among England's most popular paid attractions; Chester Zoo and ZSL London Zoo currently rank third and ninth respectively.
To support the sector, the Government has introduced targeted measures including permanently lower business rates for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure properties, worth nearly £900 million annually.
DCMS continues to work with VisitBritain to champion visits to the British countryside and our world-class attractions to a worldwide audience. Local Visitor Economy Partnerships also have an important role to play in supporting the development of local tourism products and packages that encourage more visitors to come and stay for longer and benefit local communities.
The forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will also provide a long-term framework to increase visitor flows and deliver sustainable growth across the UK.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of current economic conditions on visitor numbers and income for zoos and aquariums.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the significant contribution zoos and aquariums make to the visitor economy, supporting local growth and global conservation. DCMS monitors the sector's performance closely through VisitBritain/VisitEngland.
The Visitor Attraction Trends in England 2024 report demonstrates the sector's resilience, with England’s attractions reporting a 1.4% increase in visits and an 8% increase in gross revenue from 2023-2024. Major zoos remain among England's most popular paid attractions; Chester Zoo and ZSL London Zoo currently rank third and ninth respectively.
To support the sector, the Government has introduced targeted measures including permanently lower business rates for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure properties, worth nearly £900 million annually.
DCMS continues to work with VisitBritain to champion visits to the British countryside and our world-class attractions to a worldwide audience. Local Visitor Economy Partnerships also have an important role to play in supporting the development of local tourism products and packages that encourage more visitors to come and stay for longer and benefit local communities.
The forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will also provide a long-term framework to increase visitor flows and deliver sustainable growth across the UK.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will commission a cross-government impact assessment for (a) higher National Insurance on employers, (b) higher business rates and (c) the overnight visitors levy on (i) the economic viability of the hotel sector, (ii) costs to consumers, (iii) domestic tourism and (iv) foreign visitor tourism.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the important contribution that the hotel and wider hospitality sectors make to the economy, to local communities and to the UK’s appeal as a destination for domestic and international tourists.
The Government carefully considers the impact of tax measures on businesses, including in hospitality and tourism, within the context of the need to repair the public finances and to fund high‑quality public services. Relevant impact notes and assessments are published at fiscal events and otherwise as necessary in line with the Government’s usual practice.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support the holiday parks industry.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
DCMS recognises the significant value that the holiday parks industry provides in supporting our rural and coastal economies. The Government is committed to ensuring their long-term viability by modernising the business rates system and providing targeted marketing to overseas visitors.
From April 2026, we are replacing temporary reliefs with permanently lower business rate multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties. This structural shift provides long-term certainty and is worth nearly £900 million annually. To protect businesses from sudden valuation shocks, we have introduced a £3.2 billion Transitional Relief scheme, which caps bill increases at 15% for most businesses
The Government has set out a package of pro-growth regulatory changes for the retail and hospitality sectors, including the first National Licensing Policy Framework, which supports the flexible growth of hospitality services within holiday parks.
DCMS and VisitBritain are actively working to boost visitor numbers and extend the tourism season for coastal and rural operators. The ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign uses the UK’s film and television heritage to drive international visitors into rural destinations, increasing the profile of areas where many premier holiday parks are located.
The forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will cement these measures, providing a long-term plan to increase visitor flows, maximise sector value, and deliver sustainable growth for our coastal and rural communities.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of job losses in the hospitality and tourism sectors on rural and coastal areas on (1) opportunities for young people to work and (2) the local economy; and what measures they are taking to alleviate these job losses.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises the vital importance of the hospitality sector, particularly in rural and coastal areas, in providing employment opportunities for young people and supporting local economies. We have put in place a range of measures to ease cost pressures on the sector, including permanently lowering the business rates multiplier for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties, alongside a £4.3 billion business rates support package to protect ratepayers from increases following the revaluation.
Building on this, From April, every pub and live music venue will get 15% off its new business rates bill on top of the support announced at Budget and then bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years. The pub and hotel sector has also raised concerns about valuation, which the government agrees need to be addressed. We are therefore launching a review into how they are valued for business rates.
To go even further, we are more than doubling the Hospitality Support Fund, providing £10 million over three years to help local hospitality businesses diversify, improve productivity, and support people into jobs.
We are also investing significantly in young people's skills and opportunities. This includes £820 million for the Youth Guarantee and £725 million through the Growth and Skills Levy, ensuring young people have the support they need to earn or learn. We will support 50,000 young people into apprenticeships in England by fully funding apprenticeship training costs for all eligible 16-24year-olds, expanding foundation apprenticeships to hospitality, and extending the Destination Hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programme pilot, launched in partnership with UKHospitality.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support hoteliers in the West Midlands.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is committed to supporting the hospitality sector as a valuable contributor to the UK economy. The Government recognises the significant pressures facing the hospitality industry, including hotels, and is providing support through various measures to help ease these pressures.
The Government has introduced permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a ratable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million annually, benefitting over 750,000 properties. The new relief rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap so all qualifying properties will benefit.
DCMS works closely with VisitEngland/VisitBritain, Local Visitor Economy Partnerships and industry to support accommodation providers, including hotels in the West Midlands. The West Midlands is a key participant in a Destination Development Partnership pilot led by VisitEngland. This programme tests a new model for destination management by encouraging collaboration between national and local tourism bodies. The focus is on making the region more accessible and highlighting its range of shops, restaurants, and hotels.
Asked by: Louie French (Conservative - Old Bexley and Sidcup)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 27 November to question 92601 on Tourism: Taxation, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Visitor Levies in other jurisdictions on the hospitality sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Scottish and Welsh Governments have published their own impact assessments to accompany legislation for the introduction of their visitor levies.