Time with the family today
Time with the family today

Full day in London on computer industry business with the NCC and DTI, time at the Compec exhibition and then home to spend some time with Debbie and Daniel as strikes continue at Austin Rover and at the mines

Up on time and quickly washed and dressed, a breakfast of honey and toast and then off to St Neots station for the 8.02am to London. A first class seat and opportunity to catch up on these last two day’s journal whilst travelling to Kings Cross. Across London by tube until arriving at Victoria and then a short walk to Bressenden Place and the DTI for a meeting of the Federation of Microsystems Centres DTI Advisory Committee. For once I was early and managed to contribute valuably to the debate over future funding, getting across the points that either longer term security must be established to support small firms with assisted consultancy or the projects direction changed. Tom Fitzpatrick weighed in with a suggestion of merging the Federation into NCC activity and need was agreed for a strategy document to provide for ministerial choice. The meeting adjourned early as NCC Chairman, David Fairbairn, had to leave for a lunchtime speaking engagement and we all ate a rather modest DTI lunch of sandwiches and wine from plastic cups. I lingered a while to talk to Tony Keston of the DTI and Federation Manager, John Turbull, before catching a taxi to Olympia for the rest of Compec.

The taxi driver insisted on telling me all about his son’s programming exploits and getting lost until I shut him up and settled back to read some papers. At the show I did another couple of circuits, comparing notes with Nigel Smith and visiting a number of exhibitors. Then back to Kings Cross by tube in time for the 5.15pm to St Neots and home by car from the station in the dark. No chance to put away the ducks or clean out the doves, but I did manage to feed the ducks whilst checking for mail and messages at the office. Some time with the children tonight putting Debbie to sleep and checking through Daniel’s homework. The weather tonight cold and wet. News of the price of BT shares - £1.30 each – and seemingly fit for a stay issue if markets do not change. The strikes at Austin Rover and in the coal mines goes on with disagreement and increased bitterness.