Margaret Hodge regains role as tourism minister
Former tourism minister Margaret Hodge has returned her old role, the government has announced.
Hodge, who has been on compassionate leave looking after her husband since October 2008, will now take over from Barbara Follett who moves to a junior ministerial role at the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Last year Hodge once again endeared herself to the industry she was supposed to represent by attacking the quality of hotels and visitor attractions in the UK.
Speaking to Holiday Which? magazine, the tourism minister said: "I agree that hotels are expensive and I worry about the quality."
She pointed out that only around half of all UK hotel accommodation was part of the star rating system set up by the AA and VisitBritain.
In a broader sweep at the industry, Hodge added: "Tourists need to be offered good deals and we have to make attractions better."
Hodge initially took the role of tourism minister in July 2007.
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By Gemma Sharkey
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