FARMERS, councillors and business people today called on government minister Alun Michael to give North Yorkshire more cash to cope with the effects of foot and mouth disease.

Mr Michael, who is Rural Affairs Minister, had a busy timetable of private meetings lined up for today and arrived at the National Railway Museum, in York, for a meeting with the regional rural economic recovery group.

Heather Hancock, Yorkshire Forward's environment director, gave a presentation on behalf of the group to show what had been done already and what the region needed.

Yorkshire Forward, the region's regeneration body, is calling for more cash to back the £4 million programme already set up to try and get the region back on track.

Afterwards, he told journalists that today's visits were part of a fact-finding tour around the country and did not give any details of what any future help might entail.

Mr Michael said in the longer term the Government's Rural White Paper would look at developing a sustainable policy towards rural areas.

"In the shorter term the rural task force has been established to look at the wider impact of foot and mouth disease on the rural economy."

He said his department would be preparing a report "very shortly" based on his fact-finding tours.

"We're trying to hear from farmers and from non-farming businesses," he said.

This lunchtime he was due to meet North Yorkshire County Council chiefs in private.

Updated: 15:16 Monday, September 17, 2001