It is my pleasure to present a petition on behalf of many thousands of people living in Cornwall who would like the county to be recognised as a network region on Facebook. Despite the fact that Cornwall has a population of 500,000, the nearest geographical area represented on Facebook is the city of Plymouth in Devon. Some 14,500 people are members of the group and hundreds have added their names to the petition that they would like presented before Parliament. There are many respects in which people feel that Cornwall's unique needs and identity are subsumed in wider zones. I agree with my constituents that more needs to be done, by Facebook as well as the Government, to ensure that Cornwall's voice is properly heard.

The petition states:

The Petition of residents of Cornwall,

Declares that Cornwall should have its own Network Region on Facebook. Cornwall possesses one of the world's oldest natural borders, its own language and flag, and a population of 500,000 people. We therefore believe that the owners of Facebook should now recognise this by introducing the Cornwall Network region.

The Petitioner therefore requests that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to put pressure on the owners of Facebook to grant Cornwall network region status.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.

[P000193]