ENTREPRENEURS in North and East Yorkshire are being urged to attend a conference next month to sort out major problems in the region.

Digby Jones, director general of the CBI; Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale and Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Healey MP, will be among the guest speakers at the conference at Harewood House, near Harrogate on Friday, July 19.

The conference aims to explore key initiatives which will have a real impact on companies' bottom line and answer questions about the direction of the regional economy.

Issue and topics to be covered include:

- What Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency, is doing to ensure businesses have the skilled labour they need

- How businesses can identify market trends and future legislation - both nationally and globally ahead of their competitors

- What impact the Regional Centre For Manufacturing Excellence will have on the region's 20,000 manufacturers

- How businesses can have more say over transport and planning issues in the region.

Mr Ridsdale, who is also chairman of Education Leeds, will speak about "tapping the potential of tomorrow's workforce" while Digby Jones will address "Where next for manufacturing?"

The event will be hosted by James Naughtie, from BBC Radio Four's Today programme, and will include the opportunity to question the speakers during two debates.

Yorkshire Forward chairman Graham Hall said the conference will provide an ideal networking forum and the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with leading representatives of the business world.

Places at the conference, which is free, are limited, but can be booked by telephoning Stacey Chantler on 0113 394 9712.

Updated: 10:04 Tuesday, June 25, 2002