A PLEDGE to keep Britain ahead in biotechnology was welcomed by an Oxford industrialist.

Peter Nolan, operations director of genetics company Oxford Biomedica, based at Oxford Science Park, said the Government's "Genome Valley" report was a good start - but now the industry wanted some action.

The report identified 270 companies employing 14,000 staff, with another 25,000 people employed providing services to the sector in the UK.

Launching the report, Competitiveness Minister Alan Johnson said: "The UK is strong in biotechnology and we are currently ahead of the rest of Europe. We have an excellent science base and we have succeeded in creating some 270 small biotechnology companies.

"We need to harness those strengths, to maintain our lead and realise the huge potential to boost the UK economy and improve our quality of life."

Problems identified included:

Attracting enough investment

Ensuring enough science specialists are trained

Providing adequate research and development facilities.

He said the sector also need to improve public perception of its work and potential benefits for healthcare.

Mr Johnson added "The key areas for action we identify in the report represent a major undertaking."

Mr Nolan, who is a member of the Biotechnology Industry Association, said he was pleased that the report recognised the problems. "It is a good analysis of where we are and one step on the path to something bigger," he said.

He welcomed moves in the last Budget report to reform the tax regime to help research-based start-up companies.

"But while we are busy analysing, Germany is busy doing things. The time has come for action."

He said Oxfordshire's 60 biotechnology companies were looking for Government backing for their industry network BiotechNet, as well as concrete proposals to stimulate investment, to ease planning problems and develop training.

Story date: Monday 27 December

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