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PRESS RELEASE
Embargo: 00.01, Wednesday 10 March 1999

Speaking to a lunchtime meeting of the Cambridgeshire Businesswomen's Forum at Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge on Wednesday 10 March 1999, Andrew Duff will say:-

LIB DEM BONUS FOR BUSINESS IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE

The East of England has a vital capacity for research and development in high technology, centred on Cambridge, which is of regional, national and worldwide importance. Liberal Democrats are determined to assist the development of this cluster of research institutes and firms, where over 35,000 people are already employed.

This is a political priority, requiring determined regional solutions in terms of affordable housing, better health and education, and integrated transport and telecoms solutions that minimise adverse environmental impacts and maximise sustainability. We will work especially to improve the profile of our hi-tech enterprises within the European Union and to facilitate their access to R&D funding and mainland European markets.

We will help to coordinate existing localised and fragmented networks. We will work to increase the availability of venture capital, and promote the establishment of a regional banking facility, backed by the European Investment Bank, for investment in hi-tech small firms. Europeans generally have many fewer computers than Americans. Liberal Democrats want to widen and deepen the social penetration of information technology.

We believe that the East of England should be Europe's top region for computers by 2005. Improving standards in state education is critical to building the skills base necessary to foster the growth of the hi-tech phenomenon. We will encourage schools to link more with SMEs. We will work hard to see that in five years time there are more job opportunities within the region to attract the university graduates it produces.

Liberal Democrat MEPs will be a great bonus for business in Cambridgeshire.

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Andrew's work
in the European Parliament since 1999

Andrew is Vice-President of the European Parliament delegation to the Constitutional Convention on the Future of Europe.

Rights for EU citizens

Andrew drafted the Charter of Fundamental Rights which has strengthened the rights of all the citizens of the European Union.

Turkey

Andrew is working for improved links between the EU and Turkey, to encourage improvements in Turkey's human rights record and to enhance its democracy.

Andrew's campaigning in the East of England

Airport Expansion

Andrew has led calls for the Air Travel industry to be subjected to the same rigorous environmental criteria as other modes of transport