Basingstoke MP Maria Miller was the guest speaker at Hampshire Chamber of Commerce’s Parliamentary Breakfast on Friday 4 March, which was held at the Apollo Hotel. Speaking to an audience of some thirty representatives of the local business community, Maria gave an overview of Government activity in matters relating to the economy and business, and responded to questions on a range of issues.

Maria said: “Basingstoke is a great place to do business, and while the economic downturn has presented enormous challenges to local businesses, I have been very impressed by their resilience.”

Maria also highlighted the recent success of the Enterprise M3 bid to become a Local Enterprise Partnership. She said: “The Government has been clear that LEPs have a critical role to play in creating the right environment for economic growth and for businesses to flourish. The future prosperity of the country is driven by business, and success in our area is critical to the success of the whole country.”