asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his estimate of the effect on the hotel and catering industry of higher educational establishments letting their residential accommodation during vacation periods for commercial purposes when there is no academic or other associated reason for such activities; and whether he will investigate this practice with a view to satisfying himself about the standards of accommodation offered and the desirability of introducing a code of practice to regulate this matter.

I have no evidence that this practice, which assists higher educational establishments to balance their books and normally provides conference and allied facilities of a kind not readily available elsewhere at the time, has any significant effect on the hotel and catering industry or that it involves unsatisfactory standards of accommodation.