Day Six:

We had a briefing this morning with the UK embassy as well as individuals from the Labour Party, foreign commercial service, agriculture affairs, economic affairs, the counsel general and cultural and public affairs.

There are 26,000 individuals employed by UK companies in Indiana and $8 billion of UK business is conducted in Indiana.

We talked about the current political landscape in the UK. The UK is dominated by two major parties -- the Conservatives and the Labour party. The Prime Minister is the true power in Great Britain and is the leader of the party with the majority in Parliament. All houses of Parliament are up for election in three years which is expected to be a very lively and spirited election.

The single, greatest issue for the British is global warming. The United States is not viewed as a leader in environmental protection, however, and there are some negative feelings toward the United States on this and other global issues.

With regards to public affairs, we talked about three areas of focus to help strengthen the ties between the US and the UK. They include: engaging in student exchange programs, developing cultural exchange programs and developing strong international visitor programs.

We also heard from a representative from the commercial service. With regard to bi-lateral trade, there is about $170 billion being traded between the UK and US. Trade was up 7 percent in 2004 and 2005. US exports increased 25 percent in 2006. We obviously have a very strong and important relationship with the UK with respect to trade.

As you might expect, there are a number of similarities between the UK and the US including a common language, strong IP protection, similar business and legal systems, and a well-educated and flexible workforce. Key areas of synergy include: aerospace, computers, electronics, renewable energy and pharmaceutical.

Finally, during our tour we've learned some fun facts about the UK. For example, you have to register 24-hours before you gamble at any casino in London. There is a per car cost – about $80 per day – to get into the city of London and park, which is one way to incenticize people to take public transportation. There at about 8 million people in London, nearly 5 million are immigrants. Museums are free of charge however you can only tour Buckingham Palace during July and August, when the Queen is on holiday. There are 23 ½ acres of shopping at Harrods Department Story. The UK is also considered a "country of hobbyists."

The dollar is weak relative to the pound – about 2 to 1.