§ 7. Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations he has received from Norfolk and Waveney training and enterprise council.
Mr. JacksonI have recently received and approved Norfolk and Waveney training and enterprise council's corporate and business plans, and I congratulate it on them. The TEC started operations on 12 November.
§ Mr. BellinghamIs my hon. Friend aware that a key priority of this TEC is encouraging enterprise and small businesses in an area where 80 per cent. of businesses employ fewer than 25 people? Does he agree, given the new funding arrangements, that this TEC will be ideally placed to play a major part in sustaining the enterprise culture in Norfolk and Suffolk?
Mr. JacksonMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the most encouraging developments in the past decade has been the great growth of local enterprise initiatives, including those in my hon. Friend's part of the world. We need to achieve better co-ordination of and focus on all the efforts that are being made and, of course, the role of the training and enterprise councils in that will be important. I note the importance that the Norfolk and Waveney TEC attaches to that theme.
§ Mr. Patrick ThompsonWill my hon. Friend confirm that a great many business people in the Norwich area are involving themselves in the Norfolk and Waveney training 804 and enterprise council? Will he confirm that that council is in the lead in a programme that is already well ahead of schedule, thanks to this excellent Government initiative?
Mr. JacksonSince I came to my present post in July I have travelled up and down the country visiting training and enterprise councils. I am afraid that I have not visited the one in Norfolk, but I was in Suffolk last week. I was enormously struck by the amount of commitment and enthusiasm from senior business people. That is one of the most hopeful developments on the current training scene.