Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has made an official visit to Brighton after being invited by the Pavilion MP to experience the Brighton Digital Festival - and to learn more about the city's growing digital and small business sector.

Ed Vaizey met with Caroline Lucas MP, Paula Murray, Brighton and Hove City Council's Culture Commissioner, and Honor Harger, Director of the Lighthouse - a digital culture agency which has been involved in the set up of the Digital Festival.

The DCMS Minister then visited the Phoenix Gallery to see the Solar Systems by Semiconductor exhibition - still running as part of the Festival. Phil Jones from Wired Sussex also joined the group to discuss the importance of the digital sector to the local economy.

Speaking after the visit, Caroline Lucas MP said:

"I am delighted that the Culture Minister accepted my invitation to visit Brighton to see for himself our flourishing arts scene and thriving digital economy.

"The way in which the Brighton Digital Festival brings arts and design together with the latest digital technologies makes it a truly groundbreaking event, and today's meeting was a great opportunity to showcase local talent - as well as discuss the needs of the digital sector, and the important role played by schools and universities in delivering ICT education.

"I was also keen to press Mr Vaizey further on the assurances he gave me in Parliament last month that more will be done to boost the city's digital sector and small businesses through the guarantee of more public sector contracts.

"I'll be writing to Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude and Mark Prisk, Minister for Business and Enterprise, this week to urge the Government to take real action on this front."

ENDS

L-R: Honor Harger, Director of the Lighthouse, Caroline Lucas MP, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey and Paula Murray, BHCC Commissioner for Culture