THE Government yesterday pledged #500,000 to a new campaign aimed at

increasing companies' competitiveness and improving management quality.

The money will help set up new quality awards, tipped to become the

most prestigious business prizes in the country.

Michael Heseltine, president of the Board of Trade, told a London

conference to launch the awards that not enough UK companies were world

class. ''It is vital that more firms should have world-class

performances as their goal.

''Companies face daunting challenges such as rapid changes in

technology and more demanding customers and it is essential for their

own survival that British firms confront these pressures successfully,''

he said.

ICI chairman Sir Denys Henderson is to head the foundation set up to

run the awards which has 1200 member firms. The winners will be

announced in November.