House of Commons
Wednesday 8 July 2015
South-west England (Long-term Economic Plan)
8 July 2015 : Column 423
James Heappey (Wells) (Con): Of course it is not just the rich heritage, the stunning countryside and our rugged coastlines that bring people to our region; it is the fantastic food and drink produced by our farmers and food manufacturers. I am sure that my right hon. Friend will want to join me in emphasising to those on the Treasury Bench the importance of supporting our farmers and our food and drink manufacturers, not only as a driver for tourism in our region, but as something that we export with pride across the United Kingdom and around the world.
Dr Fox: Indeed, the maintenance of our countryside and the protection of agriculture is not only important in itself in terms of generating wealth and jobs; it is important in maintaining the visual environment that is intrinsic to the tourism industry. I am sure that all my colleagues will want to thank my hon. Friend for his dedication to the food and drink industry and his single-handed generation of wealth in the region.
Apart from the countryside, our region has cities with many historical attractions that we need to maintain.