During his visit to the south west, the Secretary of State also announced £1.7 million to fund repairs of harbours hammered by the harsh winter weather, including £434,786 for Porthleven.

that hit the English coast at the end of 2013 and the beginning of this year. Most of the funding will be spent on fixing small ports and harbours in Devon and Cornwall.

The £434,786 is to repair collapse of wall at Fisherman’s Quay in Porthleven, remove large granite blocks partially blocking the sluice and fix damage to the hospital corner wall, loss of capping to harbour head wall and undermining of slipway.

A further £66,391 to fix damaged caused by wooden baulks to Inner Harbour shifting, damaging roads, ladders and mooring chains.

Patrick McLoughlin said: Our small ports are vital to the livelihoods of the communities they serve and are the lifeblood of the local economy.

"The government has already provided significant funding to reverse the damage caused by an exceptionally wet and windy winter. I want to see this additional money help the recovery in these coastal towns."