Government Ministers visit McLaren for insight into the world of F1

In its role as secretary of the All Party Motor Group, the MIA recently hosted a visit of parliamentarians to Paragon, the headquarters of McLaren. The cross party group of tour delegates, which included the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Peter Hain, received an important insight into Britain's involvement at the sharp end of global motorsport and its importance to the UK economy.

Said the MIA's Chris Aylett, "It is our job to ensure the Government and opposition parties are kept aware of developments within our industry, the massive contribution it makes to UK plc and the assistance it increasingly needs at various levels. The £50 million fine imposed on McLaren this year by the FIA will directly affect our UK industry. Certainly our SMEs will need increasing support from UKTI if they are to meet their and the Government's future export objectives."