Shadow Minister Visits Stockbridge

ImageJim Paice, the Conservative Agriculture Spokesman, came to the Romsey Constituency this week, as part of a national tour by the Conservative Rural Action Group.

At a meeting in Stockbridge Town Hall, organised by the Conservative candidate for Romsey and Southampton North, Caroline Nokes, he spoke of the Conservative commitment to the countryside and the policy ideas which would be put forward by the Conservatives at the next General Election.

Mr Paice took questions from local farmers, representatives of the CPRE, rural business people and CLA members.

Among the topics covered were affordable rural housing, Single Farm Payments, the problems faced by the rural Post Office network, and renewable energy sources.
At a meeting in Stockbridge Town Hall, organised by the Conservative candidate for Romsey and Southampton North, Caroline Nokes, he spoke of the Conservative commitment to the countryside and the policy ideas which would be put forward by the Conservatives at the next General Election.

Mr Paice took questions from local farmers, representatives of the CPRE, rural business people and CLA members.

Among the topics covered were affordable rural housing, Single Farm Payments, the problems faced by the rural Post Office network, and renewable energy sources.

Mr Paice said:

"It is important that we recognise that there are many different strands interwoven in the rural community, and none of them are frozen in time. But we have to make sure that the needs of rural communities are recognised, and that we have a responsibility to make sure that they thrive. They need a Government which understands them and which does not seek to impose its own vision on communities which have survived for hundreds of years."

Caroline Nokes, the Conservative candidate for the next General Election commented:

"The issue of rural Post Offices is one which has generated an enormous amount of comment to me locally, and there is real concern that these life bloods of local communities are being driven out of business. We have a good track record in Test Valley of supporting local shops and facilities, but more support from Government is sorely needed. There is little recognition of the issues of rural isolation and the pockets of deprivation that exist, and all we seem tog et from Government is regulation, targets and interference.