The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will address a meeting of Asian business leaders in Bradford tomorrow.

Patricia Hewitt will speak to a 300-strong audience at the Hanover International Hotel on the importance of South Asian communities to the social, cultural and economic development of the UK.

Ms Hewitt has been invited to be key speaker at the 2002 meeting of QED-UK, the Bradford-based national South Asian focused economic development agency.

She will be the latest in a line of distinguished guests to the event, which has previously attracted the director general of the CBI, Digby Jones, and the former head of the Commission for Racial Equality, Lord Herman Ouseley.

Co-speakers at the meeting will be Steve Crawshaw, deputy chief executive of Bradford & Bingley plc, and Ram Gidoomal CBE, author and chairman of the South Asian Development Partnership.

QED founder and chief executive Mohammed Ali OBE said: "We are absolutely delighted to be welcoming Patricia Hewitt.

"We feel sure she will understand our vision of a society advancing towards a state where everyone, irrespective of his or her background or origin, is able to feel part of the diverse British community.

"We believe this vision cannot be achieved unless poverty and disadvantage are tackled with vigour, and by allowing everyone to contribute to the UK's social and economic life."

BT regional director, Brian Greenwood, will also announce a three-year sponsorship deal at the event.

He said: "BT is pleased to support QED, and I look forward to working with them on new initiatives within our diverse communities."

Founded more than a decade ago, the group runs a raft of practical programmes to help South Asian unemployed people, community organisations and businesses.

QED's work was officially recognised last summer when founder and Chief Executive Dr Mohammed Ali was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

He and his deputy, Adeeba Malik, sit on a wide range of key policy and strategic bodies including Yorkshire Forward, the DTI 's Ethnic Minorities Business Forum, and the West Yorkshire Learning and Skills Councils.