British Telecom is to invest £9 million sterling in a new "state-of-the-art" telemarketing centre in Belfast. A total of 750 jobs are expected to be created over two years.

The Northern Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, said the fact that BT had chosen to locate in Belfast brought credit to the people of Northern Ireland and was an indication of the effective partnership between government, business and the workforce. She said the Industrial Development Board deserved particular credit. The IDB will give British Telecom £4.5 million towards the cost of the £9.1 million investment. Of the 750 jobs expected to be created, 150 will be full-time and 600 will be part-time posts, representing the equivalent of 510 full-time jobs.

Dr Mowlam said the two most common requests she receives when talking to the public were for peace and jobs. "What is crucial to making sure that the peace process continues to develop is that we work in parallel with a growing economy and a growing stable society," she said. She paid tribute to the business community, trade unions and the workforce for continuing to try to build a base for the peace process during difficult times in the past. "We need to have the two working hand in hand, to build a stable society, and the business community and workforce have done much to achieve that," she said.

Dr Mowlam said the announcement was particularly welcome at "this important time in the peace process". She described the skills of the workforce as "the secret weapon" ["] which Northern Ireland had. "We have a highly-trained, skilled workforce, as well as one that is retraining and keeping up with changes that are coming.

"We have not just won this against competition from other parts of the UK, and from other parts of the world, but we have also won it in a sector which is developing very fast. . . You have to change and adapt and be flexible and that's what Northern Ireland has brought to BT and telecommunications," she said.

Dr Mowlam said the fact that a lot of the jobs were on a part-time basis should not be seen in a negative light, because part-time working often fitted in with the needs of people today. "What is important is that there is not exploitative low wages. The pay level is what counts," she said.

BT's chief executive in the North, Mrs Lucy Woods, said the company had a long-term commitment to Northern Ireland, with over 3,000 people already employed. "This latest investment is a strong signal of our continuing confidence in Northern Ireland as a profitable business location."

In addition to the new BT marketing centre, the company already has four call centres in the North which serve other regions of the UK. Two provide directory assistance, while the others deal with sales, billing and repairs for London customers.

The IDB chairman, Mr John McGuckian, said he believed it was a "particularly important development". He said the investment would have an impact on employment opportunities, particularly in areas of social need. This, he said, was a very important consideration for the IDB.