The Secretary of State, Owen Paterson MP, addressed an audience of business leaders, Northern Ireland Conservatives and other stakeholders at the launch of the Grow NI initiative at Belfast's Lyric Theatre this morning. The umbrella group spans the business community, which has formed a united front, calling for the power to set Corporation Tax to be devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Owen urged businesses, employers and the general public alike to respond in numbers to the Treasury's consultation paper on rabalancing the economy, before the closing date of 24 June; "send emails and letters, overwhelm the Treasury and let it know, loud and clear, exactly where the business community in Northern Ireland stands on this issue".
Other organisations taking part in this morning's event included the NI Chamber of Commerce, the CBI, IOD, Arts and Business NI, the Construction Employers Federation, Enterprise Northern Ireland, the FSB, Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association, the NI Hotels Federation, the NI Manufacturing Group, Momentum NI, NI Retail Trade Association, Quarry Products Association NI, the Pubs of Ulster, the NI Centre for Competitiveness, Ulster Society of Chartered Accountants, The Law Society, Queen's University Belfast, the University of Ulster and the 'Big 5' accountancy firms.
Northern Ireland Conservatives Chairman, Irwin Armstrong, described Grow NI as a remarkable display of unanimity from the business community. "Businesses, the universities, representative bodies, employers and employees. Everyone is getting involved in this debate and sending a clear signal to the Treasury. We need to grow Northern Ireland's economy together and this event demonstrates that there is a strength of purpose to do just that. I'd encourage everyone with an interest in our future prosperity to get on their computers or to get out pens and paper in order to have an input in this consultation".
The Treasury's paper and contact details for the consultation can be found here: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consult_rebalancing_ni_economy.htm