A SENIOR minister admitted Daresbury campus is facing a “long slog” while touring facilities there yesterday.
Trade and investment minister Lord Digby Jones also said he had the “challenge” of promoting the site overseas to woo more business to the North West.
He acknowledged fears about the critical mass of the campus being lost when 350 government science jobs are axed over the coming months.
Lord Jones told the Daily Post: “Quite right I’ve got a challenge. I must redouble my efforts, so must the local authority, the regional development agency and the universities and we have got to go around Britain and the world and say come here.
“We’re right at the beginning of the road – it’s going to be a long slog.”
Lord Jones was on a tour of the Daresbury Innovation Centre, which houses more than 60 high tech science firms.
Lord Jones’s office has helped 15 small and medium-sized firms at Daresbury to grow their business overseas.
UKTI’s international trade advisers provide mentoring to businesses in the scheme and offer information on emerging export markets for their products.
