Early day motion 554

That this House commends The Western Morning News, The Express and Echo, The Herald Express and The Evening Herald for their SOS South West Campaign with its plea to the Prime Minister on behalf of the people of the South West; notes that Devon and Cornwall is a region in crisis and that the foot and mouth plague which has savaged the farming industry now threatens to bring the whole of the industry to the brink of economic disaster; notes further that farming and tourism together represent 30 per cent of the region's GDP; notes that job losses in Devon may well eclipse those seen in manufacturing industries like Longbridge where ú150 million of taxpayers' money was committed; notes that economists have provisionally estimated that Devon alone could lose 10,000 jobs; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to acknowledge that the South West is a region worth saving with a properly funded programme of substantial regional aid.

leave out from 'Devon' to 'notes' in line 9 and insert ' Cornwall and large parts of Devon are open for business and welcoming tourists from all over the world but in numbers very significantly less than usual; calls on the Western Morning News group papers to highlight the positive news stories which these tourists have to tell and to urge their sister newspapers to do the same; welcomes the recognition in the Prime Minister's response that the south west region counts and matters, and that what tourism needs more than anything is more visitors, customers and trade, that it is important not to paint too bleak a picture of the region so as to convince visitors that they should then avoid the area and thereby worsen its problems and that achieving this is a fine balance; notes the need for everyone to play their part in restoring visitor confidence, as well as the Prime Minister's reassurance that work is being done urgently in government to see what further support can be given;'

at end add 'which recognises that farming and tourism together represent 30 per cent of the region's GDP and includes quality business advice in sufficient quantity to assist people with the extraordinarily complex and uncertain business decisions with which they are faced, a fast track new deal for tourist businesses and those allied to farming and tourism, and an additional bank holiday in September 2001.'.