Thanks for the advice.
I do realise that it will not make any sound on it's own. Here is how I set it up:
loaded cubase -ensured the midi in and out were selected in the device setup. Loaded 4front bass as an instrument. Clicked on the monitor button for the track. press keys on the new midi keyboard - nothing - no sounds.
Plugged in my old midi keyboard via standard midi ports (the new keyboard is USB) and without doing anything further I could hear 4front bass playing.
I actually got a new bass module included with this purchase (which I already downloaded and activated and it shows as an instrument) so I tried this in the same way. Also this resulted in the same issue. This plugin loads up a GUI with a picture of a keyboard/synth on the screen. clicking the notes on the screen I get sound. Pressing the notes on the new midi keyboard nothing - again plugging in my old keyboard results in sound when the keyboard is played.
Just to be sure I did the same with EZdrummer which I had working on my old midi keyboard and again it was the same deal.
I thought maybe it was the automap software that could causing the issue. Turning this off is meant to allow the keyboard to work as a standard midi keyboard. It made no difference.
So I am now thinking it has to be one of the following things:
1) incompatible with cubase LE though I am guessing a midi keyboard is a midi keyboard and in its basic form should not have compatibility issues.
2)issues with this keyboard and Vista
3)some kind of conflict with my midi ports on my audio interface that is subsequently blocking the new midi path
4)faulty keyboard
I am going to phone their support shortly and see if they can advise! It is annoying as I wasted a whole evening trying to get this thing to work when I was hoping to be laying down some fantastic rock!