Happy New Year! – and Parliament is already back in action with some timely debates in the past few days during which I helped to highlight the problems of internet access in West Somerset and the challenges facing our tourist industry. Westminster Hall was the venue for these “mini” sessions. It is a useful opportunity to remind Ministers of the need for action on these matters.
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater and West Somerset) (Con): Places such as Minehead, where Bourne Leisure runs Butlins, are absolutely seminal. Many Victorian seaside towns have changed completely overnight. The likes of Butlins need the support of the local community to keep them there and should be getting more support than they do at the moment.
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater and West Somerset) (Con): Much of the rural heartland that we represent cannot be reached by the outreach that BT is doing, and we will need extra funding for some of our areas. Across Exmoor, we will need that funding, I would have thought.