BMMG preparation at Owls Hall, Buntingford, and then a rush to The Houses of Parliament, Committee Room 10, for a PITCOM meeting and chance to meet with the Minister and other key Industry and Government officials with which to advocate my IT Policy proposal as the government funds the NUM sequestrators and Famous jockey, Brian Taylor, dies after a Hong Kong accident
A cold night and troubled with thoughts of today’s activities and unknown dreams. Awake groggily to the paper and my breakfast of the last of the honey combe, toast and fruit juice. Out to feed the ducks and doves – I had not managed to get the ducks in after yesterday’s late return home - to see how hungry the doves were; flying from roof to roof and circling. Besides the early meal yesterday, the cold weather at night is making them burn a lot of energy keeping warm. To the office for a while and to finish my reading of magazines and start to read the BMMG LAN report in preparation for this afternoon. Back to the house for a lunch of wholemeal rolls, ham/pickle and tomato/lettuce salad and after, I feed the pigeons and doves as I will not be at home this evening. I call Owls Hall to check that the meeting is still on and then check with John Lamb to see if he is still coming and needs a lift to Buntingford. John is tied up and so he prepares a letter to the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee Meeting for me to take his dinner place this evening, and I take his apologies to the BMMG/LAN meeting. A drive across to Buntingford, arriving fifteen minutes late because Nigel Smith had miraculously arrived on time at 3.00pm and John Marshall ten minutes early. We proceeded to business, reviewed the report and agreed the scope for alterations, the arrangements for its circulation and also the process of events for the LAN seminar in January. All satisfied (and with the secretariat due to minute the action items outstanding) we left for London. Normally, we always rush down in Nigel’s car and are late and frustrated by the traffic congestion, but this time I persuade him to take the train. I lead a charge over by car to Stevenage, and we have to run fast to catch the train, which is about to leave the station. We run past a protesting collector without tickets and just make it, collapsing, coughing into two first class seats. I offer Nigel a tea only to find the train has no buffet, due to some problem with staff, and we pay the ticket collector for excess fare tickets. I feel obliged to stop for ten minutes to allow Nigel a refreshing drink, but when we come to take the Victoria line train to Westminster, it comes straight back to Kings Cross and makes us late. Eventually we realise that the big fire a few weeks ago at Oxford Station is still keeping it closed and the tube trains are only shuttling. We take a taxi after a while and arrive at Committee Room 10, House of Commons, ten minutes late for the 6.00pm meeting.
Prof John Ashworth presents the case for I T Intervention very well and pulls few punches; but the question session afterwards somewhat loses its way as John fields academic research and education questions and gets on the defensive. Then Geoffrey Pattie stands up and presents more views than when I led a delegation to see him, but does not give any answers to the questions raised. He claims that the IT awareness phase is achieved; that the IT grants scene is demand driven and limited by cash restraints. He welcomes the EDC report as a very good one and sees the DTI role as to try to generate growth in a pump priming and catalytic way. He dwelt on the cultural problems, recounted a DTI story about the openness of the Japanese and why – because they do not think the British could use the ideas, repeated the views that the endeavours of Manufacturing, Engineering and Profit are not appreciated and that Enterprise is the key…. He put forward his own idea on intelligence gathering and the need to focus attention to get the most from the least. I only welcomed supportive comments on the need to maintain an indigenous presence in all sectors because of their interdependency (my food chain concept) and also the need to analyse closely the contribution of inward investment to ascertain its contribution to the UK. Lastly that we need capability in order to be able to attract and sustain the control of international co-operation and joint ventures. After the questions we broke up and I had a consoling word with Dr Tim Keen, whose company has just gone bust, with Don Willis of UKITO and Alan Frazer of GEC Computers and UKITO who offered me a lift to the dinner venue – The Horseguards Hotel. A funny incident as he showed me to his car and driver and I assumed the Rolls Royce was his (he is Chairman of both organisations). As I waited by the door, he called me over to a small Austin behind, which was embarrassing. Over drinks an opportunity to meet Alison Newall, past President of the CRA, Brian Smith of the DTI, IT Division, and a few words with the Minister, Geoffrey Pattie. Across to the tables and I take John Lambs place and over lunch debate the role of multi-national companies with Dr Horsnell, MD of Philips Business Systems. I surprise him with information on the BMMG membership and our achievements. Good contact also with Michael Clarke, MP (also of PA Management Consultants) and to brief him on the effects of the spending freeze. I give both of them a copy of my PITCOM paper and seek their support. I also talk to the PITCOM Programme Secretary, Derek Broome, about the idea. Interesting to see the number of overseas companies lobbying hard – apart from Philips there was Hewlett Packard, DEC, Sperry and it is a challenge to contest and neutralise their influence. Eventually the MP’s have to leave at 9.45pm for a 10.00pm Division on The Representation of the Peoples Act. A contentious issue increasing the election deposit to £1,000 and enfranchising a half million overseas tax exiles and fugitives unwilling to accept our laws and jurisdiction, but most keen to vote Conservative. Hence the MP’s being on a two line whip! I leave at 10.30pm and catch the tubes back to Kings Cross with David Fairbairn, the NCC Director, and we agree our analysis of the evening and of Pattie’s performance, which was disappointing. Home by train and car, too tired to work on the journey and, after a Bournvita bedtime drink and the late night teletext headlines, to bed at 1.00am. Biggest news was the government’s decision to back the NUM sequestrators with cash expenses and the jailing of 3 miners for 60 days for stone throwing incidents. In South Africa, 6 are arrested on treason charges, including the three that left the sanctuary of the British Embassy. Jockey, Brian Taylor, injured in Hong Kong, and a mainstay of horse riding for as long as I can remember, died of his injuries today. The stock markets continue to rise with the city anticipating tax cuts next spring.