Rural recovery tsar, Lord Haskins, will quiz banks lending to farming and tourism businesses in Cumbria about their plans to help the foot and mouth stricken area.

The move comes after Barclays announced that it would not renew a six-month moratorium on debt due to expire in September. Haskins arrives in Penrith today at the start of his six-week review of how Cumbria can recover from the economic devastation wrought by the disease.

Downing Street yesterday distanced itself from previous comments by Haskins that farmers were too dependent on state aid.