Speeches by Hinds.

“Beyond VisitScotland, is there anything else in the set-up that simplifies that process of all these different public sector bodies that I need to work with?”

“Can I ask about the visitor levy? This is quite a big change coming to the Scottish travel and tourism sector this year, right?”

“From July, in Edinburgh, Glasgow?”

“I do have one more question. Is there a particular focus, or does it come under you to bid for business events, the big conventions, fairs and so on?”

“We know about Edinburgh, Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Aberdeen, Sterling, and there are some other consultations still outstanding.”

“Totally understanding and respecting that this is not your specialist area, I think VisitScotland leads the visitor levy expert group, is that right?”

“We know about Edinburgh, Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Aberdeen, Sterling, and there are some other consultations still outstanding.”

“Totally understanding and respecting that this is not your specialist area, I think VisitScotland leads the visitor levy expert group, is that right?”

“Particularly relevant to your part of the thing, first of all is the revenue ringfenced? You are in the business of bringing great events to Scotland that generate economic activity and joy, but they require marketing and they require organisation, they require facilities and so on. Do you have a guarantee that the rev…”

“I am not quite done, but I totally understand that. I think that the Edinburgh rate is 5%, Glasgow will be 5%, Stirling 3% and Aberdeen 7%. Without having to know the details of how all that works, let’s assume that gets passed on entirely in rate. It may not be 100%, but let’s assume it is. Would you expect that to ha…”

“Do they have a choice? It is just a bed tax, right? Any overnighting visitor I think would—”

“I will, but I will start by telling my hon. Friend about the lack of quality in some previous apprenticeships. I draw the House’s attention to the 2012 National Audit Office report on adult apprenticeships. I have time for only a couple of very short excerpts. The number of apprenticeships had increased dramatically in…”

“It is an honour to be the final Back-Bench speaker in this debate. I do not feel like I am at the back of the queue; I am just not at the front. It is good to see some Liberal Democrats with us today. We know that student finance is a particularly important subject for debate in the Liberal Democrat party. In fairness,…”

“I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his intervention, but we need quality apprenticeships. That is why I regret the fact that the independent Institute for Apprenticeships is being dissolved to be replaced by Skills England, which is not independent, does not have guaranteed business involvement in setting standard…”

“It could form the equivalent of BBC Studios or—”

“That is a failing.”

“It is the buses.”

“No, you are absolutely right, and it rarely gets talked about. The cost of coach travel has changed so much.”

“It is not today’s subject.”

“You said projects that take public money and then go on to be commercially successful should return some of that money to the Arts Council. How would that work in practice? There would presumably be an agreement in advance that if you are in receipt of funds, and you trip over some threshold level, you give some money …”