WEST Devon's MP met with ministers and officials from the Government's Rural Task Force this week to push for more help in the wake of the foot and mouth disaster.

John Burnett tackled environment ministers Michael Meacher and Beverley Hughes, chief secretary for the Treasury Andrew Smith and Janet Anders from the culture department yesterday (Wednesday) on getting West Devon back on its feet.

'The catastrophe for business in my constituency must be reversed,' he said.

The South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and Devon County Council are already consulting on a three year plan to spend £180 million worth of aid to help Devon's economy bounce back.

The plan includes help for tourism, marketing, finance for business, health and welfare support, retraining and establishing a vision for the future of agriculture in the county.

But Mr Burnett said there were other points that needed to be dealt with, including the opening of Dartmoor.

As a result of the meeting, he said the situation would now be reviewed on a weekly basis and any changes to the moor's status publicised widely to try and break the strangle-hold on tourism-based businesses the disease has created.

Mr Burnett is also pleading with the Government to give the South West a fair crack of the whip over tourism subsidies.

'Wales gets £6.50 per head of population, Scotland £5 and Northern Ireland £11.50 — we get a measly 26 pence. Tourism is more important to our GDP than in those other regions.

'We must have a no costs-barred marketing campaign as soon as there is a significant lifting of restrictions — no miserly efforts, we deserve prime-time television spots,' he said.

Mr Burnett said the DTI loans system was also to be up-graded, to make them cheaper and available to people who already had one.

'SWRDA now has £11.5 million to support business and is asking for a lot more. 19,500 businesses have already reported difficulties— people in trouble must appeal to the RDA as soon as possible,' he said.

The treasury is also considering financing a 'Paid to Train' Scheme, developed in the constituency.

People will be able to undergo training, while remaining in work.