Kershaw was invited to 10 Downing Street last Thursday following the .
Prime Minister Gordon Brown had been scheduled to attend but was delayed returning from a trip from Belgium.
Kershaw initially discussed the fact Government "does not understand the size and scale of the events industry". Mandelson went on to explain the wider economic impact on the subsidiary industries that rely heavily on the event industry, such as hotels, restaurants, and taxi firms.
Kershaw then suggested raising the tax threshold from £150 to £500 per person, in order to encourage companies to engage with their staff. Civil servants later promised to investigate the matter further.
Mandelson agreed with Kershaw that things had been tough in the last year but said: "It will come back, dear boy."
Is Mandelson right? Would a tax threshold increase help kick-start the industry? How can the event industry get more Government recognition? To add a comment and let us know your thoughts.