
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 15, 1995                   TAG: 9503150064
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MCLEAN                                LENGTH: Medium

ALLEN PUSHES BRITISH BUSINESS

Gov. George Allen promoted Virginia as a partner for British businesses, defended his welfare reform plan and announced a new health-care plan for University of Virginia employees and retirees Tuesday.

The day's itinerary took Allen from Richmond to Charlottesville and then to McLean, where he spoke to the British-American Business Association.

Statistics dominated Allen's address to the business group. Twenty-four percent of Virginia's 570 foreign-affiliated companies in 1994 were from the United Kingdom, which also was the state's fourth-largest export market, he said.

After listing some of the top British businesses in Virginia, Allen said the state is ready for more.

``Virginia's many assets support a healthy, diversified and growing economy,'' Allen said. ``We'll work to accommodate the needs of those who want to invest and expand in - as well as trade with - Virginia.''

Earlier Tuesday, Allen defended his welfare reform plan against criticism that it is too punitive. One component of the bill, approved by the General Assembly on Feb. 25, would deny benefits for additional children born to welfare recipients.

In a Fox Morning News interview, Allen was asked about complaints that the provision punishes children.

``But it's no more punishing the children than if somebody is working for a living and their wife, or the woman, has a third child,'' Allen said. ``She can't go to the boss and say, `Hey, I've had a third child. I'd like an increase in my salary.' That's simply not the case. What we're trying to do is foster personal responsibility.''

After the interview, Allen traveled to Charlottesville to announce that the QualChoice of Virginia Triple Option Point-of-Service Health Care Plan will be available for UVa employees and pensioners beginning July 1.

All UVa health-care professionals already are enrolled in the QualChoice plan under an agreement made last year. Other UVa employees expressed interest in the plan, prompting the agreement between the university and the state Department of Personnel and Training.

All physicians in the Charlottesville area have been invited to participate in the plan, and all physicians accredited to the Martha Jefferson Hospital already are enrolled in the network.

by CNB