EAST Lancashire MPs have praised the Lancashire Telegraph Business Awards for highlighting the important work done in the area.

The 2006 awards, a highlight of East Lancashire's business calendar, were launched yesterday.

They will celebrate the best in business from Employee of the Year and Deal of the Year to the coveted Business of the Year award.

And today MPs praised the awards for highlighting the work of local firms, and said business was a vital part of East Lancashire's community.

Greg Pope, Hyndburn MP, said: "Business is absolutely essential, and vital to the prosperity of East Lancashire. We are an innovative people and ever since the industrial revolution we have been at the forefront of business.

"We ought to celebrate business success, we don't do it often enough, and this initiative from the Lancashire Telegraph is to be warmly welcomed."

Burnley MP Kitty Ussher said: "East Lancashire has some great and successful companies. Any award that acknowledges the success of those businesses has my full support.

"We should do all we can to promote good practice and innovation and the Telegraph's awards show that East Lancashire is a place to start a business or invest, and be rewarded."

The awards will have eight categories and entry forms are available either online or by contacting us.

Closing date for entering is Friday, September 8, and a glittering ceremony will be held in November to announce the winners.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans, a member of Parliament's All Party Manufacturing Group and the All Party Export Group said: "Without business we have got nothing. It's tremendous that people run these businesses and some of them, particularly the small businesses, work seven days a week and probably only close two days a year.

"It's important they are recognised. In many cases their customers know their work but the wider community doesn't. It's important to the people who run these businesses and work in them that they know they are recognised.

"I praise the Lancashire Telegraph for its role in giving that profile and recognition to all those firms."