Chris Webb

I apologise for my slight delay in being here, Dr Huq; I had a personal incident back home and I was just on the phone about it. As the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on hospitality and tourism, and the MP for a proud seaside town, I welcome this opportunity to talk about the important and timely issue of the role that VAT policy can play in supporting hospitality, tourism, employment and economic growth. Hospitality is an important industry for communities across the country, employing around 3.5 million people nationally. On average, it provides work for 5,000 people in each constituency, but for constituencies such as Blackpool South that average figure is more than doubled. Our visitor economy supports local jobs, attracts investment and drives regeneration. Hospitality is central to our economic success and our identity. Hospitality jobs matter to local people and to the town. For many people in Blackpool, including myself, hospitality gave us our first pay packet, our first reference and our first introduction to the world of work, and for many people that first job in hospitality turns into a career. I welcome the Government’s recent business rates freeze package for retail, hospitality and leisure. That freeze will benefit thousands of businesses in Blackpool. The changes to thresholds will mean that 68% of retail, hospitality and leisure properties in our town will now pay no business rates at all. That is a significant intervention, demonstrating that Ministers recognise the importance of these sectors. However, we need to go further. Alongside Kate Shane, CEO of Blackpool Tourism Ltd, I continue to make the case for a Blackpool tourism enterprise zone, building on the existing enterprise zone model and extending it to our hospitality and tourism economy to unlock further growth, investment and job creation.