'High-tech industry could see Watford flourish', says Tory chairman

5:05pm Tuesday 9th March 2010

By Neil Skinner

Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles visited the offices of a Watford IT company this afternoon – on the day when his party sought to ally itself with high-tech industry.

Mr Pickles spent more than an hour at Twin Technology Limited, in Clarendon Road – a company that specialises in internal IT systems and software consultancy.

His visit, made at the invitation of Conservative parliamentary candidate Richard Harrington, was timed to coincide with the launch of a high-profile party report by inventor James Dyson.

The vacuum cleaner tycoon has today unveiled a raft of proposals to help boost high-tech and engineering companies.

His report, Ingenious Britain, includes suggestions to boost the teaching of science – including financial incentives for future students – and tax incentives for companies.

Mr Pickles described Twin Technology, which, after just four years of trading now employees 26 people, as “the kind of success story that government should be helping.”

High tech industry, he said, could “flourish” in Watford under a Tory government – compensating for the decline in the manufacturing and printing industries.

He told the Watford Observer: “You don’t get successful businesses and a successful economy without a climate in which small and medium-sized enterprises, like this one, can flourish. To do this they need the Government to help.”

Twin Technology director and co-founder Larry Rach, however, stressed that such help was not always been forthcoming.

He said: “Small businesses like ours face a lot of frustration and bureaucracy. We now employ 26 staff but sometimes it has felt like the Government has been working against us.”

Mr Pickles suggested that a Tory government would give such companies as much support as possible.

He added: “First of all there is the tax regime that we are committed to changing. We are talking about people not having to pay national insurance contributions for their first ten employees – when it is most difficult for them. We’re also committed to bringing people through schools and making a difference to the teaching of science, mathematics and engineering.

“There is really no reason why Watford can’t specialise in this type of industry and really flourish.”