Howells confirmed in tourism role

Hopes that Prime Minister Tony Blair would appoint a minister of state to revitalise the tourism industry in the wake of the foot-and-mouth outbreak have been dashed, it was confirmed today. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) confirmed that new parliamentary under-secretary at the department Dr Kim Howells, a former minister at the Department of Trade and Industry, has been given responsibility for tourism. An under-secretary is one rung below minister of state in the political pecking order. It means tourism will have the same prominence as it did under Howells's predecessor Janet Anderson, who was sacked in Blair's post-election reshuffle. In the run-up to the election, the British Hospitality Association and prominent members of the industry campaigned for the creation of a minister of state for tourism. Howells, MP for Pontypridd since 1989, comes from the Department of Trade and Industry, where he was minister for consumer and corporate affairs. He said today: "Promoting tourism in Britain and helping to restore confidence within the tourist industry following the foot-and-mouth outbreak is one of my first priorities. "I want to ensure that Britain continues to be a first-class holiday destination and that we continue to raise standards to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive global market." His hobbies include painting, mountaineering and cycling. A spokeswoman for the DCMS said other aspects of Howells' brief had still to be decided. by Nic Paton