Monday 28th February 2005
St George Room, University House, Leeds University [map]

		In need of a master plan The rural communities of Yorkshire and the Humber are increasingly important to the area's economy. So why don't they all have broadband? Natalie Brierley reports Summary of the roundtable [view] Roundtable supplement [view PDF]
		Key speaker The Rt Hon Alun Michael MP is Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Appointed to his present post in June 2001, Alun Michael has been the MP for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was Deputy Home Secretary from 1997 to 1998, Secretary of State for Wales from 1998 to 1999 and First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales from 1999 to 2000.
		Key speaker Steven Brown joined The Press Association in 1995 and was appointed to the board as Finance Director in 1996 before becoming Managing Director in 2000. Prior to joining the company, Steven worked for 12 years in financial management with News International companies including the posts of Group Financial Controller for News International plc and Finance Director of News Datacom Limited.
		Facilitator Christa Ackroyd is a co-presenter of BBC Leeds' Look North. Previously, she was the presenter of Yorkshire Television's 'Calendar' for over a decade. She was the country's first female radio news editor, at Radio Aire, and for the past eight years has written a weekly column for The Express.
		Participants Christa Ackroyd (chair) - Co-presenter, BBC Leeds Ajaz Ahmed - Chief executive, Callserve Mohammed Ali - Chief executive, QED UK David Andrews - Chief executive, Yorkshire Tourist Board Steven Brown - Managing director, Press Association Phil Coppard - Chief executive, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Felicity Everiss - Regional director, Government Office, Yorkshire and Humber Jim Farmery - Head of technology infrastructure, Yorkshire Forward Trevor Higgins - Joint regional manager, BT Toby Hyam - Chief executive, Media Centre Network Gary Keown - BBC Charter Review Panel Simon Lee - Vice-chancellor, Leeds Metropolitan University Alun Michael - Minister for rural affairs, Defra John Moore - Finance director, North Yorkshire County Council Sue Mould - Joint regional manager, BT John Napier - Chairman, Kelda Group plc Spencer Neal - Publisher, New Statesman Gareth Owens - Chief executive, Go Broadband Allison Seidlar - Group director, markets, BT Wholesale Lynda Shillaw - Group director, property, BT John Spencer - Managing editor, Press Association