UUP angry over high-tech lay-offs

The UUP's David Burnside has called for an official inquiry into the loss of 181 jobs at one of the North's high-tech companies.

Valence Technologies in Mallusk, Co Antrim, which currently employs 380 people, announced its intention to lay off some of the workforce last night.

The US-owned company, which makes batteries for mobile phones, blamed global pressures on the market for the job losses.

Mr Burnside said the North's Department of Enterprise has pumped a lot of taxpayers' money into the facility and was never informed about the intended lay-offs.