Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce

CHAMBER NEWS

The Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the recent launch of the next stage in the development of their web-site. Members of the Chamber will soon be able to access a special section of the site which is accessible only by entering their own unique membership number. Developed in conjunction with Nep Publishing this will contain information, help and benefits exclusive to members of the Chamber and initially will include access to discounted credit reports on limited and non-limited UK companies and the ability to retrieve lists of companies also at a discounted rate; discounted market profile reports, access to business support factsheets, local economic statistical information such as the Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey; and the Chamber’s Membership Forum.
Any Chamber member wishing to access this part of the www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk site but who doesn’t know their membership number can call Danny Whitehead on 0116 2046613 or email leics@chamberofcommerce.co.uk who said “In this information age, it is important that we continue to develop on-line methods of increasing the value of being a member of the Chamber.”

We would like to alert members that the Quarterly Economic Survey will be sent out in the Chamber News at the end of August. We would stress to all of our members the importance of completing and returning this to the Chamber as the information is collated regionally and forms the national BCC report which influences the decisions made by the Bank of England. For more information on the quarterly economic survey contact Max Boden on 0116 04 6606 or enter the members’ only section of the Chamber’s website www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk to see the results from previous recent quarters.

FROM: DAVID KERN, BCC ECONOMIC ADVISER

Key Points:
• UK Base rate, now 3.50%, is unlikely to fall further in the near future, but a further cut cannot be ruled out. Rates should edge up gently to 4.00%-4.25% by mid-2004.
• UK growth (1.7% in 2003 and 2.3% in 2004, after 1.9% in 2002), while remaining stronger than in the Euro area, is mediocre and below the Chancellor’s forecasts.
• Refocusing the inflation target (from November), on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), may delay future interest rate rises.
• Sterling’s fall against the euro will help to rebalance the economy, but further sharp declines would be damaging. I expect the pound to stay around its new lower levels.
• The Euro debate is less acute, but acrimonious arguments are bound to resurface. A referendum cannot be won, and a further assessment before the Election is unlikely.
• UK public finances are worsening very sharply. Tax rises totalling some 10bn-15bn will be needed in the next 2-3 years, to avoid breaking the Chancellor’s fiscal rules.
• UK risks: high-spend high-tax policies, pensions, housing market bubble, low skills, low productivity, weak manufacturing, large external deficit, labour disputes.
• Sharp rises in bond yields from record lows, and firm stock markets, signal belief that deflationary fears are exaggerated, with output and profits set to recover modestly.
• Recession risks have receded, but growth will remain subdued and below-trend.
• Fears of terrorism and major imbalances (huge indebtedness, excess capacity, external deficits, trade & currency tensions) will dampen the global recovery.
• The published statistics remain mixed, but hopes of gradual US recovery have strengthened. Forecasts for Japan, while still very weak, have been upgraded.
• But Euro area forecasts have been lowered, with German 2003 growth at zero.
• US and UK growth will remain stronger than in the Euro area and Japan. Japan will grow faster than the Euro area in 2003; but, in 2004, Japan will again be slower.
• China & East Asia will remain the fastest growing global region.
• Official interest rates are near their cyclical lows. Further ECB cuts are likely in the Euro area; but the US Fed will only cut rates below 1% if the economy worsens.
• The dollar will remain fragile and unsettled in the near term; but stronger US growth will support the dollar later in the year and in 2004.
• The global balance of power continues to shift in favour of the US. There is a risk that trans-Atlantic trade tensions, mainly focusing on GM food, will worsen.

The Global Economy: Sharp rises in bond yields from record lows, and firm stock markets, signal belief in the financial markets that fears of deflation and recession are exaggerated, and that output and profits are set to recover modestly over the next 1-2 years.
At the same time, global growth is set to remain subdued and below-trend. Fears of terrorism and major economic imbalances (e.g. huge indebtedness, excess capacity in many sectors, massive external deficits, trade & currency tensions) will dampen recovery. The published economic statistics remain mixed, but hopes of gradual US recovery have strengthened. My forecast of US GDP growth in 2004 is now 3.3%, and the consensus forecast is slightly higher. Forecasts for Japan, while still very weak, have been upgraded. But Euro area forecasts have been lowered. Germany’s GDP growth forecast for 2003 is now zero, rising to only 1.2% in 2004. US and UK growth will remain stronger than in the Euro area and Japan. Japan is expected to grow faster than the Euro area in 2003; but, in 2004, Japan’s growth should again be slower than in the Euro area. China & East Asia will remain the fastest growing global region. Official interest rates are near their cyclical lows. Further ECB interest rate cuts are likely in the Euro area; but the US Fed will only cut rates below 1% if the economy worsens. The dollar will remain fragile and unsettled in the near term; but stronger US growth will support the dollar later in the year and in 2004. The global balance of power continues to shift in favour of the US. There is a risk that trans-Atlantic trade tensions, mainly focusing on GM food, will worsen.

UK background: UK share prices have remained robust, and yields on Government bonds (gilts) have risen, indicating market expectations of gradual recovery. Employment has risen to new highs. However, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cut its key rate to a 48-year low of 3.50%, and preliminary GDP figures for Q2 2003 were weaker than expected. Business surveys from the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) also supported the general picture of a shallow, below-trend upturn. UK quarterly growth rose 0.3% in Q2, lower than in the final three quarters of 2003. The figures highlight the serious imbalances in the UK economy, which must be corrected in order to sustain satisfactory growth. The acute imbalances in are highlighted by weak investment, the contrast between buoyant retail sales and humdrum output figures, and excessive reliance on very strong public sector spending and recruitment. Unless these imbalances are corrected, Britain’s strong labour market could be threatened. Public finances are worsening at a faster pace than forecast, and most analysts expect a very large “overshoot” in the budget deficit over the Chancellor’s forecasts. On present trends, some 10bn-15bn in tax rises will be needed in the next 2-3 years, to avoid breaking the Chancellor’s fiscal rules. The UK economy faces serious medium-term risks: high-spend high-tax policies, housing market bubble, inadequate pensions, low skills, low productivity, weak manufacturing, large external deficit, labour disputes. But the short-term outlook remains benign, albeit mediocre - with positive modest growth, low inflation, low interest rates, and low unemployment.

Base rate and sterling: The MPC reduced its key rate to 3.50% at its July meeting. The decision to cut rates was taken by an 8:1 majority, a sharp reversal from the 6:3 majority to leave interest rates on hold at the June meeting. The Bank pointed to slow economic growth here and abroad as a reason for the cut, and added that although underlying inflation is still above its 2.5% target, the level is expected to fall. The eight MPC members who voted for a rate cut signalled concern over sustained weakness in the world economy, and the knock-on effects this could have on the UK. In spite of the large majority supporting the July cut, the basic choices facing the MPC remain finely balanced. The risks (albeit small) of a sharp fall in sterling, and of stimulating further the build-up of excessive consumer debt, support a cautious stance entailing no further rate cuts in the near future. However, global deflationary risks, below-trend growth in UK output, and modest private sector wage settlements may require further interest rate cuts to boost activity. On balance, UK Base rate, now near its cyclical low at 3.50%, is unlikely to be cut further in the near future, although a further reduction cannot be ruled out. Next year, rates should edge up gently, to 4.00%-4.25% by mid-2004. Refocusing the inflation target, from November, on the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), may delay future interest rate rises. Sterling’s fall against the euro earlier this year will help to rebalance the economy, but further sharp declines would be damaging. I expect the pound to stay around its new lower levels. The debate on Euro entry has become less acute in recent weeks, but acrimonious arguments are bound to resurface. A referendum cannot be won in current circumstances, and a further assessment before the General Election is unlikely.

UK GDP: Preliminary figures show quarterly GDP growth of 0.3% in Q2 2003, a modest improvement on the minimal 0.1% seen in Q1. But year-on-year GDP growth was down to 1.8% in Q2, compared with 2.1% in Q1 and 2.3% in Q4 2002. The new estimates confirm that the upturn in activity remains weak. I expect the pace of UK expansion to strengthen only modestly in the next 12-18 months. Based on the sluggish Q2 figures, I now forecast GDP growth to average 1.7% in 2003 (down from 1.9% in my previous forecast, even allowing for stronger growth in the second half of 2003), and 2.3% in 2004. The 2003 GDP forecast is well below trend, after below-trend growth in both 2001 and 2002. UK growth is set to remain higher than in the Euro area (0.6% in 2003 and 1.7% in 2004), but lower than the Government’s official forecasts accompanying the April Budget - a range of 2.0%-2.5% for 2003, and a range of 3%-3.5% for 2004. Quarterly growth in household consumption (consumer spending) slowed to 0.2% in Q1 (the worst since Q3 1997), after 1.0% in Q4 2002. Annual growth in Q1 was only 3.1%. While still rising faster than GDP this year, household consumption growth is expected to slow from 3.7% in 2002, to 2.3% in both 2003 and 2004, as the housing market cools and the higher personal debt burden fosters greater caution. If the slowdown in household consumption is gradual, and if it coincides with an upturn in investment and exports, it could rebalance the economy. But if household consumption slows sharply in reaction to a weaker housing market or a rise in unemployment, while investment and exports remain flat, the threat of recession would worsen. Investment fell 1.1% in Q1. In annual average terms, I expect investment to rise only 0.4% in 2003, after falling 1.0% in 2002. In spite of the fall in the pound earlier in the year, growth in investment and exports will remain weak, until excess capacity shrinks and external demand recovers. The following table and the graph on the next page summarise my main forecasts for the UK economy:

UK GDP - Main Components - Annual Averages
% Change Year on Year
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
GDP 2.4% 3.1% 2.1% 1.9% 1.7% 2.3%
Household Consumption 4.6% 5.1% 4.1% 3.7% 2.3% 2.3%
General Government 3.1% 2.1% 2.5% 3.3% 4.5% 4.7%
Investment 0.6% 1.9% 1.0% -1.0% 0.4% 2.4%
Manufacturing Output 0.3% 2.0% -2.4% -4.1% -0.1% 1.5%
Services Output 3.3% 3.6% 3.5% 2.6% 2.3% 2.3%
Current Account-% of GDP -2.07% -2.08% -1.97% -1.98% -1.79% -1.93%
Current Account £bn -18.7 -19.8 -19.6 -20.7 -19.5 -22.0

UK main sectors: Preliminary GDP figures show that the traditionally robust service sector registered quarterly growth of 0.4% in Q2; this was the same as in Q1, but much lower than in the second half of 2002. Annual (year-on-year) growth in services was unchanged in Q2, at 2.6%, broadly in line with 2002 levels, but well below the sharp rises in excess of 3% seen in 2001. Services growth, while remaining stronger than in manufacturing, is set to continue slowing (though at a gentler pace), from 2.6% in 2002, to 2.3% in both 2003 and 2004. Construction output is estimated to have increased a little in Q2 over Q1, after registering a surprising 1.9% quarterly fall in Q1. Even so, construction growth, which averaged 7.5% in 2002 as a whole, is likely to be robust in the next 12-18 months, in line with the upsurge in Government spending. Manufacturing output: Full Q2 figures are not yet available, but preliminary estimates indicate that manufacturing was stagnant in Q2, after a minimal rise of 0.1% in Q1, and a hefty fall of 4.1% in 2002 as a whole. Manufacturing fell 0.2% in May, worse than expected. In the three months March-May, output fell 0.1% compared with the previous three months, but was 1.4% lower than a year earlier. Manufacturing output is still more than 8% below its Q4 2000 peak, and some 2% below its 1995 level. The strongest area in May was chemicals, up 0.8%. In contrast, engineering (which rose 1.8% in April) fell 1.0% in May. Longer-term comparisons show that the worst year-on-year figures in March-May were in textiles (-8.6%) and basic metals (-3.4%); the best year-on-year figure was in engineering (-0.1%). Manufacturing employment is set to decline further. But, after falling 4.1% in 2002, manufacturing output should stabilise, benefiting from a weaker pound. I expect a marginal manufacturing decline (-0.1%) in 2003, followed by a modest increase (+1.5%) in 2004; but the recovery will be fragile.

UK GDP - Main Components - Annual Averages - % Change Year on Year

UK labour market: Claimant count unemployment was 952,000 in June, just below the consensus forecast; this was up 1,700 on the revised May figure, and up 200 over a year ago. On the wider ILO measure, unemployment was 1,470,000 in March-May, down 20,000 on the previous three months and down 50,000 on a year earlier. The jobless rate was unchanged at 3.1% on the claimant count (June), and 5.0% on the ILO measure (March-May). The employment level was 27,910,000 in March-May, up 101,000 on the previous three months, and up 254,000 over the year. The working age employment rate was 74.7% in March-May, up 0.3% from a year earlier. Manufacturing employment was 3,520,000 in March-May, 131,000 lower than a year earlier. The jobless rate (claimant count) remains lowest in the South East (1.8%), South West (2.0%) and Eastern region (2.2%). Regional jobless rates were highest in the North East (4.8%), Northern Ireland (4.4%) and Scotland (3.8%). Average earnings growth rose from 3.2% in February-April to 3.4% in March-May, higher than expected. Private sector earnings growth rose to 3.1%. Public sector earnings growth eased to 4.9%, but the gap over the private sector remained very large. Looking ahead, unemployment may rise slightly over the next 6-9 months, due to recent below-trend GDP growth. But the labour market remains resilient. The upsurge in Government spending, coupled with heavy public sector recruitment, will sustain strong public sector wage settlements and could trigger labour militancy. I expect earnings growth to rise towards 4%-4.5%.

Inflation: The all-items retail price index (RPI) was 2.9% in June, down from 3.0% in May. The ‘underlying’ measure of inflation (RPIX), which the Government is now targeting and excludes mortgage interest, also fell marginally, from 2.9% in May to 2.8% in June. The June figures were once again below market expectations, but RPIX remained slightly above the 2.5% official target. The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), the international inflation measure that will replace RPIX in November as the official policy target, fell from 1.2% in May to 1.1% in June, also below market expectations. The main downward pressure on prices in June stemmed from lower costs of leisure services. Lower housing expenditure also had a downward influence, as cooling house prices affected the housing depreciation component in the RPI. The main upward influences on June inflation stemmed from motoring costs and from food prices. Goods price inflation rose marginally in June, to 0.2%; while services prices inflation eased to 4.0%, but remained much higher than for goods. The pressure on margins has eased further, with an annual increase of 0.1% in High Street prices over the past year, well below the 1.1% fall registered in January. Looking ahead, UK inflation may edge up in the near future, reflecting sterling weakness earlier in the year, and tight labour market conditions due to strong public sector recruitment. But a cooling housing market and a more stable pound should help ease inflationary pressures towards the end of the year and in 2004. The new HICP inflation target, which will replace the RPIX target in November, will very likely be set at 2.0%. This means that the changeover may delay future interest rate rises and, in general, make it easier for the MPC to keep interest rates lower than under the current RPIX target.

Contact details: David Kern, Kern Consulting
BCC Economic Adviser
Tel: 020 8904 6293 E-mail: david.kern@btinternet.com

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

On the 2nd July Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, issued Equality and Diversity: Age Matters. In the foreword to the document she points out the importance of the consultation and states how keen she and her team are to receive views from as many people as possible.

The consultation is the final stepping-stone to next year’s consultation on the draft legislation itself. The associated documentation indicates the rights that individual will have and lists the responsibilities faced by employers and others covered by the legislation. Of particular interest to most is the question of employers’ mandatory retirement ages.

The legislation, which will come into effect in 2006, will have a much greater effect on your business than just removing age from recruitment ads and the date of birth from application forms.

Experience Works! recommend all employers to read the proposals and submit their response before the closing date of 20th October 2003. Full documentation, including a response form, is available on www.dti.gov.uk/er/equality/age

Staff at Experience Works! are gathering employer responses to gain a county and East Midlands perspective. If you would like to discuss the consultation or Experience Works!, please contact Christine Hibbard on 0116 228 1834 or by e-mail at christine.hibbard@experienceworks.org.uk.

New figures in the HR press reveal that absenteeism and poor time-keeping are costing UK businesses £12bn per annum, with £1.7bn attributed to staff "pulling sickies". The CBI reports that the number of lost working days is down from the previous year however in reality the labour cost is rising. Companies have used a number of tools to reduce the absenteeism levels i.e. "back to work" interviews and giving absence management responsibility to senior managers. Investors in People have produced a Work-Life balance model that could be the solution to the absenteeism issue.
Companies who implemented flexible working arrangements, flexitime and Teleworking have not only experienced reductions in absenteeism but saw benefits in other aspects of their business i.e. better customer service outside normal working hours. Flexible work hours and work places will eventually help staff morale and make businesses more effective and competitive, since:
• Valuable skills are not lost but cultivated and retained
• Customers receive better service beyond normal business hours
• Diversity is managed - working mothers are able to combine work-life balance
• Trust and communication is improved
• Better skills are attracted to business
• Company can comply with legislation
• Health and Safety is improved

By introducing different types of working arrangements employers need to not only communicate this to staff but also manage it properly. Clear guidelines are important to ensure effectiveness. Monitoring staffs working hours is a traditional and valuable approach to help both businesses and employees feel safe and productive.

From April 6 2003, parents with children aged under 6 or disabled children aged under 18 will have the right to request a flexible working pattern and their employers will have a duty to consider their applications seriously. To check your rights and responsibilities, or those of your employees, use the TIGER interactive website.

The Department of Health are holding FREE conferences on the effects of passive smoking. These conferences will last the full day and are designed for those responsible for workplace health. The conferences will alert attendees to the dangers of workplace smoking and provide practical tools to help solve the problem. Conferences that are nearest to Leicester are those held in Birmingham and Aston Villa FC on 2 October and Derby, held at Derby County FC on the 21st October. For further detail or to book a place, please contact Esther-Kate Toye on 020 7535 9927 or e-mail Esther-Kate.Toye@citigatec.co.uk

Compared with our European counterparts, Brits are less likely to have the option of home working available to them. Only 48% of those living in the UK said in a recent poll that the option of working from home was available to them, compared with 60% in Germany. However, many British workers said that they would like the option. 81% said that they would prefer this option because it provides a less stressed environment.
However, concerns were raised in the survey over the level of technology available to those working from. Other concerns included the problems involved in being able to replicate ideas, plans and presentations at home, and other concerns included the need for a high-speed internet, which still is not available in some UK parts.
Some UK respondents thought that they may have to go to much more trouble to prove that they were working effectively if their work was home-based. Half of UK respondents admitted to emailing or telephoning a colleague first thing in the morning simply to prove they were working yet only 14% of Germans in comparison felt the need to behave this way, however 39% of the British sample did admit to using working from home to do their household chores.

The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (Amendment) Regulations 2003 have just been published, and came into force on Saturday, July, 19 2003. Along with amendments to the Race Relations, Discrimination Regulations and Equal Pay Regulations, the Sex discrimination Act has also been amended.
Two of the important changes are:
• Reversing the Liversidge rule and now ensures that the chief officer will be liable for unlawful acts done by officers of the force in the course of their functions(departments).
• A new provision prohibiting discrimination after the end of the employment relationship, provided the act of discrimination arises out of and is closely connected to the employment relationship. This impacts employers who are, for example, providing a reference, Failure to do so (or providing a bad reference) on the grounds of gender is capable of amounting to direct discrimination.
The Sex Race and Disability Discrimination Acts carry on after employment, however, the Disability Discrimination Act is the only one that is less favourable towards employees in that an ex-employee has to find a comparable ex-employee when trying to make a claim. Employers can now potentially face discrimination claims from past employees for, for example, poorly investigating an appeal after employment has been terminated. But there is bound to be difficulty in identifying when the relationship is considered still continuing or has ended.
Further information is available at www.acas.org.uk/q_a/q_a2.html#5 and www.eoc.org.uk.

The National Minimum Wage (Tips) Bill has been introduced in the House of Commons, and aims to amend how tips are treated in terms of calculating minimum wage (currently £4.20 for adults). The following applies according to existing legislation:
• Tips paid directly from customers to staff (such as waiters or hairdressers) do not count as wages for the purpose of the minimum wage; however,
• If the tips go through the employer's payroll (which often happens when a tip is paid as a service charge on a credit or debit card or it if is automatically added to restaurant bills), those tips do count towards calculating whether the employee has been paid the minimum wage.
If The Bill is passed through parliament it will amend the Regulations so that no tips, whether paid directly to the employee or through the payroll, will count as remuneration going towards the minimum wage.

For further information on the National Minimum Wage visit http://www.tiger.gov.uk/home.htm

CHAMBER EVENTS

Date: 25th September
Time: 9am-12 noon
Venue: Charnwood Court, New walk, Leicester
Cost: £20.00 (one price only)
PROfile is a group of independent professionals with a broad range of industrial, commercial, technical and creative experience and all under the umbrella of Leicestershire Chamber. Join the business-builders and problem-solvers of PROfile for practical advice and professional insights on recruitment and employment, winning customers, internal and external communications, property management, finance and insurance. A question and answer opportunity will follow this workshop.

For more details or to book onto this event you can book online by logging on to our website www.chamberofcommerce.co.uk or contact Kam Atker on 0116 2046614 or email at atker.k@chamberofcommerce.co.uk

Date: 08 October
Time: 18.00 - 20.30
Venue: Leicester Tigers Ground
Cost: £23.50 members, £33.50 standard

Is It Legal? Businesses in the UK have never been so regulated and non-compliance with the law can seriously damage your wealth and even cause loss of liberty. Join us for a glass of wine and a delicious finger buffet at this Corporate & Commercial Law Seminar with the experts from freethcartwright solicitors, this seminar will highlight some 100 potential areas of concern to law abiding business before explaining how best to address these issues.

Date: 14 October
Time: 18.00 – 20.30
Venue: Spices Indian Restaurant, Meridian Leisure Park, Leicester
Cost: £22.00 members, £30.00 standard

Join us for a networking evening with a difference at one of Leicester’s largest and smartest Indian restaurants. Spices will provide a superb buffet banquet allowing Chamber members and guests to taste several starters and main courses – eat as much as you like. Business cards will be put into a hat and taken out at random, allowing several guests to give a short presentation on their business.

OTHER NEWS

Your career has given you a unique perspective on the problems involved in training and educating a workforce fit for the 21st Century. For 12-15 days a year, we’d like to draw upon your talent, ideas, and experience to help solve these problems. You could contribute to a positive future for the local economy and for the tens of thousands of people whose prospects lie in our hands.

COUNCIL MEMBERS Leicestershire

Leicestershire is one of 47 local Learning and Skills Councils across England. We direct funding to education and training providers, spending some £100 million locally to drive up education standards and promote learning. We also work through wider partnerships to contribute to local economic development and regeneration. Our vision is that, by 2010, young people and adults in the region will have knowledge and productive skills matching the best in the world. As a
Member of the Council that steers all local activities, you will contribute to turning that vision into results.

We are looking for people whose background is one or more of the following:
• Business - you may be a chief executive, owner-manager or board director of a significant local business
• Education - you may have experience as a head teacher or college principal
• Community - you may be a senior executive in a local authority, a leader in the local community, or a key player in the voluntary sector.

Whilst this is an unpaid role, expenses are available for travel, subsistence and childcare, and the real reward lies in what stands to be achieved. Appointments will be made for two to four years.

If you could help to build a 21st Century ‘knowledge economy’ in Leicestershire, please request an application pack by writing to Mrs Maureen Danvers, Leicestershire Learning and Skills Council,
17A Meridian East, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1UU or
e-mail: maureen.danvers@lsc.gov.uk quoting reference EM04 010L.
Closing date: 20 August 2003.
Please note we are unable to accept CVs at any stage of the recruitment process.

www.lsc.gov.uk
• Responsibility for over 6 million learners
• The largest ever investment in post-16 education
• Spending £100 million locally
• A world-class workforce by 2010
• Tackling the skills shortage

UK Online reports that Leicestershire is leading the way in languages at GCSEs with Leics coming top in French with 72% studying the subject and Rutland has the highest percentage of pupils studying German.
Still, more pupils should be encouraged to study Spanish. It is the second most spoken European international business language, behind English.
Last year 74 per cent of 15 year olds taking GCSEs in England studied at least one foreign language. French was the most popular language, studied by 51 per cent of pupils, while 21 per cent took German and eight per cent took Spanish.
Mr Twigg said that encouraging languages:
“is important for the pupils' development, and the country as a whole, with more than half of UK worldwide trade being with Europe," he said.
"Our National Languages Strategy aims to give every primary pupil aged seven to 11 the chance to learn at least one foreign language by the end of the decade. We recently announced 19 LEAs which are going to pioneer how we do this, and by working with them we can foster a culture of excellence for languages in this country."
A National Languages Strategy was published on 18 December 2002. It is backed by funding which will rise to £10m a year by 2005/6.

Individuals, rural businesses, community groups, business advisors and support workers are invited to attend ‘Rural Communities Mean Business’ to acquire knowledge and skills needed to get involved in social enterprise. The event is at Kelham Hall near Newark on Thursday September 18. It will include workshops and presentations aimed at two separate groups: 1.those working at the heart of rural communities, and 2. the professional policy makers, business advisers, officials and entrepreneurs who help shape the future of the countryside. The organisers, Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council, are hoping that they can reverse the trend of decline in rural services by developing local social enterprise. Those attending the meeting will hear success stories, an opportunity of running a business by taking part in a game about managing a pizza parlour for a year. Alternatively, they can examine how business advisors and support workers can help develop social enterprises in the countryside in a choice of seminars. Book before August 18 to secure your place. Call 01623 727 600

An Innovation Fair showcasing the region's most exciting new technologies will take place at Loughborough Innovation Centre from 9.30am - 5.00pm on Thursday 18 September. Bringing together innovators from high tech start-ups, large organisations, investor groups and business professionals, the event provides a forum for championing regional enterprise.

The keynote speech to 'lift-off' the event in fitting style is Dr Mark Sims, Mission Manager for Beagle 2, the unique British-led space probe, designed to search for evidence of life on Mars. Dr Sims of the University of Leicester Space Research Centre will talk about his and the University's role in one of the most adventurous space projects ever undertaken by British Space Scientists.

Visitors will also hear presentations from some of the region's leading business professionals and innovators. Presenters include Chris Corbin, founder of Ashfield Healthcare, the fastest growing pharmaceutical contract services provider in the UK with a multi-million pound turnover, and University spin-out Progressive Sports Technologies who have just secured an exclusive licensing deal with one of the world's largest and most successful fitness brands within just two years of operation.

Throughout the day a large exhibition area will display exciting new technologies from the region's most entrepreneurial companies and local experts will host confidential clinics on a range of key business issues including business finance, accountancy, patents and strategic marketing.

Marina Pickles, Event Organiser from Loughborough University Enterprises Ltd, commented, "The Innovation Fair aims to encourage entrepreneurship in the region and will provide excellent opportunities for networking and investment. We aim to bring together entrepreneurs, business professionals and investors to celebrate the wealth of new technology created in the region."

The Innovation Fair is being held in Loughborough Innovation Centre, one of the region's largest and most successful high tech business incubators. Attendance is free of charge, as are all clinics, presentations and access to the exhibition area. Those with an interest in attending or exhibiting at the event can register at www.loughborough-enterprises.co.uk or call Marina Pickles on 01509 223858. Refreshments will be provided throughout the day and there will be excellent opportunities for networking, including an information exchange table for business professionals to promote their services to high-tech start-up ventures.

Did you know that heart and circulatory disease is the biggest killer of women in the UK? The British Heart Foundation is the leading national charity fighting this condition, which one in six women currently die from.

This year, our all-female Heart Runners team will aim to raise over £100,000 for the BHF. The Flora Light Challenge for Women is a 5km event, which can be run, walked or jogged. On Sunday 14th September a team of 1000 Heart Runners will run for the BHF in both Birmingham Centre and Hyde Park, London. I would love you to join us in Birmingham and help raise over £100,000 for the charity. The Flora Light Challenge is a fantastic day out for all female runners whether absolute beginners or more experienced athletes. It's also a great way to get in shape for the summer. The funds you raise will help us continue to fund research, education and life-saving equipment and help heart patients return to a full and active way of life.

Please find attached in a separate file the following:

* Sponsorship pack request form

On the day we will be the largest team taking part, all wearing bright red Heart Runners team t-shirts and carrying heart shaped balloons showing our commitment to good heart health and the BHF, not to mention making a big impact on the day! And after all that hard work, we'll be celebrating your fantastic achievement with a chillout and refuelling at Esporta, Birmingham.

So, why not join 1000 other women in the Heart Runners team and help us to make a real difference? You can enter the event on-line at http://www.londonmarathon.co.uk/other_events/flora_women_challenge.

From your entry fee £5 will automatically be donated to BHF, and any sponsor money you raise will be used to continue our vital work.

Once you have entered online please contact us on 020 7487 9430, or email heartrunners@bhf.org.uk with your details and we will send you your free sponsor pack and Heart Runners T-shirt.

It promises to be a fantastic day out. Training and taking part is a great way to keep healthy. Also it's great to know that you are actively doing something to help the millions of people affected by heart disease in the UK today. All the best ...... and don't forget to get out there and start training!

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Tuesday 26 August 2003
Wednesday 27 August 2003
Two half days
9.30am—12.30pm
Only £155 + VAT

This seminar is aimed at individuals with no previous Import experience and sets out to give a clear overview of the procedures and documentation involved in importing goods into the EU from non EU countries and acquisitions within the EU.
To book a place contact the International Trade Team by FAXBACK on 0116 2855 951

Venue: BusinessLink Leicestershire; Charnwood Court, 5 b New Walk, Leicester, LE1 6TE