Careful with that axe Gordon

UK industry has been pointed towards several areas of technology which are ripe for exploitation. Amongst these are plastic electronics and automotive technology. Helping to nudge industry along is the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which is putting together companies from different markets, but with common interests, in order to get them working on what are seen to be 'tomorrow's problems'. One of the TSB's areas of interest is electric vehicle technology; it has recently become quite involved with the electric city car movement. The latest example of its quietly efficient work is the announcement of a project to develop lighter and more efficient batteries for electric cars. The problem at the moment is that batteries are heavy and can't provide enough energy for more than 100 miles. And it takes eight hours to recharge a battery. Petrol driven cars score on all areas, but are greenhouse gas emitters. Electric cars are the future. The TSB and PETEC, the plastic electronics centre of excellence in North East England, are benefiting from well targeted public finance – or the promise of public finance. And public spending is moving to the top of the agenda as the leading political parties start to square up in anticipation of next year's general election. It's accepted by all that the next couple of years will involve some degree of pain as the Government – whichever colour it might be – deals with the need to service the large levels of debt incurred during the last year or so. What we want to see is UK companies being able to take leading positions in emerging technologies. What we don't want to see is the next Government nipping those opportunities in the bud by wielding a blunt axe.