Rory Stewart MP wants  the Government to continue giving mountain rescue teams a major tax rebate.

The Conservative MP for Penrith and the Border is the Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Mountain Rescue.

He said successful campaigning by the group in 2011 led to the government giving MRTs a VAT rebate of around £200,000 pounds each year.

The agreement is due to expire this year and Mr Stewart along with other members of the group are pushing for the government to renew the agreement.

Mr Stewart said: “This has been the most great agreement between the Government and Mountain Rescue teams and has worked incredibly well.

"Mountain Rescuers are unpaid volunteers who give up hours and hours of their time to do an amazing job. This is a very small amount of money they are asking for from the government.

"I am thrilled by the broad and positive response from colleagues who represent constituencies throughout the country.

"But this really is crunch time, we are expecting a decision from ministers at the beginning of February and I am very much hoping that they will listen to the broad demand."