MEL Stride MP (Okehampton Times, March 31) claims the budget was fair to the West Country with central funding for water bills.
But he forgot to say that about 10% of that funding will go to Scotland, and about 5% to Wales through the Barnett formula.
He also forgot to mention that of the funding for enterprise zones in England, not one of the first ten will be in the West Country. Scotland will get over £100-million consequence money, Wales £60-million, the West Country £0. But Okehampton factories will have to compete against these zones or move to one.
But then the West Country has no voice in the Government. The only South West sitting MP in the cabinet is Scotsman Liam Fox. The Government did away with the South West RDA but kept the £3-million a year Welsh Office and Welsh secretary.
Maybe Mr Stride could tell us where England's formula consequence money goes to from the Welsh Office, and the consequence money from the Government subsidising fuel in Scotland?
Bryan Gillard
4 Pound Park
Okehampton