Stephen Timms, Minister of State for Energy, e-Commerce and Postal Services "I'm very pleased to be able to speak to you today but sorry that I'm not able to be present in person.  I very much welcome the pioneering work on broadband that has been taken forward in the South West; I saw some of that when I was in Cornwall earlier this month. I have been particularly impressed by the work on broadband content. I share the celebration of the broadbandshow, the benefits we have seen from the work that has been done and how the broadbandshow has helped in fulfilling the broadband objectives in the South West region. The broadbandshow from my point of view, has been very effective with innovative content development and promotion so I see this event as a great opportunity to highlight how important broadband content and applications are and to share the good ideas which have been developed across the communications and media industries from all of the regions and nations of the UK. Broadband content is the key driver for broadband take up - it's the key to people realising the value of broadband and so it's very important for helping us achieve our target of having the most competitive and extensive broadband market in the G7 by 2005. We need to recognise digital content and our creative industries in the context of Broadband Britain as drivers of economic growth, better quality of life, of urban regeneration and wealth creation.  I very much welcome the fact that industry and others, have enthusiastically involved themselves in this work of stimulating broadband content. It shows I think, that we are initiating work in the right areas, particuarly helping the development of the broadband business model that we are going to need to see successfully implemented in the months ahead. It is also showing us that industry is taking very seriously, and rightlly, the message that sustained and effective broadband take-up requires both access to infrastructure and the compelling content and applications that can allow it to be made full use of. The South West RDA sponsored the Bristol Interactive Cluster to develop the broadbandshow with funding from the UK broadband fund and we have seen very clear business benefits as a result with companies across the South West producing and showcasing broadband content and applications relevant for small businesses, particuarly in the aerospace and tourism sectors.  The broadbandshow has made an important contribution through an exceptionally good range of content and demonstration materials highlighting the benefits of broadband content to smaller and medium sized companies and we need now, people in the region to build on the pioneering work of the broadbandshow and to spread those lessons right across the country to help stimulate the development of broadband content nationwide. My thanks to everybody who has played a part in this and I want to express the strong hope that this important work will continue to help us achieve the broadband goals that all of us share.  Thank you very much".