THE FORMER Government Minister, Priti Patel MP visited a Chelmsford based technology company that supplies to NASA and the European Space Agency.

Ms Patel visited Teledyne E2V for a briefing on the company's efforts to create new technology in digital imaging, instrumentation, aerospace and defence electronics and engineered systems.

During her visit, she also was given a full tour of the company's facilities and met a group of company's apprentices who are learning on the job. The company has 45 apprentices working on the site and are involved in a range of product lines, such as creating complicated technological products.

Teledyne E2V have been successful in providing components for major international projects, such as imaging sensors for NASA's Hubble space telescope and the imaging array for the European Space Agency's Gaia project, to map the Milky Way.

Priti said: “Teledyne has a division in my Witham constituency and this led to my interest in the company.

"It was a very stimulating visit that gave me a perspective on how much more the government and local politicians need to be doing to help with the process of making our county and our country more effective in developing new technology and leading the way in the technological revolution. I will be taking that message back to Westminster.”

Dr Miles Adcock of Teledyne said: “We were delighted that Ms Patel visited with us to hear about our business and the firm commitment we have to generating prosperity through innovation in technology, often in close support of government industrial strategy programmes, such as Quantum Technology.

"Additionally, we strive to collaborate with other academic and industrial stakeholders to develop enduring capability and talent that is of benefit nationally and regionally, albeit there is much more to do.”