Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the performance of foreign direct investment in the UK compared to that of the other G7 nations.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
Data published by the United Nations Trade and Development Data Hub show that at the end of 2024 the UK ranked second in the G7 (behind the United States) for levels of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) stock.
Levels of inward FDI stock for G7 nations at the end of 2024 | |||
G7 Rank | G7 Nations | USD$ billion | Global Rank |
1 | United States | 15,567 | 1 |
2 | United Kingdom | 3,254 | 3 |
3 | Canada | 1,819 | 7 |
4 | Germany | 1,209 | 8 |
5 | France | 1,049 | 12 |
6 | Italy | 494 | 20 |
7 | Japan | 220 | 35 |
Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the United Kingdom remains internationally competitive in attracting foreign direct investment.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
The Government has introduced a modern Industrial Strategy aimed at boosting nationwide growth by removing investment barriers and improving access to finance. The Office for Investment (OfI) has expanded its commercial expertise and regional presence, collaborating with Mayors and Devolved Administrations to link investors with high-potential UK opportunities. Additionally, UK Export Finance has enhanced support for international investment through its new ‘Invest-to-Export’ Guarantee, designed for overseas firms investing in UK export facilities.
Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government which areas of the United Kingdom have experienced the largest decreases in foreign investment since 2023; and what steps they are taking to ensure the even distribution of foreign investment throughout the UK.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
DBT Official Statistics on inward investment show that FDI project numbers into the UK fell from 2023/24 to 2024/25, with London seeing the largest drop and the East of England recording the biggest percentage decline. Year-on-year changes remain volatile and should be interpreted cautiously.
To attract investment, mayoral strategic authorities are delivering growth plans aligned with local strengths and clear pipelines. Our strategy focuses on enhancing infrastructure, skills, and sector clusters to make all UK regions competitive for long-term foreign investment.