Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2023 to Question 183602 on Overseas Trade: India, if he will make an estimate of the number of jobs that have been created in Greater Manchester as a result of the UK-India investment relationship.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury)

The Official Statistics on inward investment at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/department-for-international-trade-inward-investment-results-2021-to-2022 contain details on the number of jobs created from Foreign Direct Investment from India in to the UK, and jobs created from all FDI in to Greater Manchester. However it is not possible to publish figures at a more granular detail due to the risk of disclosing company level details. More information is available in the technical annex.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what guidance her Department issues on access to UK markets for Indian businesses.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury)

The Department for Business and Trade supports Indian businesses to invest in the UK by providing end-to-end project management; help with understanding the commercial opportunities through bespoke proposals and inward visits; a strategic account management offer and links with local and national partners, including Chambers of Commerce, Local Enterprise Partnerships and Mayoral Combined Authorities.

Making the UK the top investment destination in Europe from India, attracting new investment into communities and helping to level-up the country including in the north-west remains one of the Department for Business and Trade’s top priorities. Together, the UK-India investment relationship supports over half a million jobs across both economies.

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, What recent discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on increasing (a) trade with and (b) foreign direct investment from India.

Answered by Greg Hands

The United Kingdom’s trading relationship with India was worth over £24 billion last year and we are already India’s top investment destination in Europe. My Rt Hon. Friend for Berwick-upon-Tweed, the former Secretary of State for International Trade engaged with her Indian counterpart in August, and her successor, my Rt. Hon. Friend for Saffron Walden, has already spoken with him.

With a 1.4 billion population and an increasing demand for high quality products and services, India is a clear trading priority for the UK. Together, we have already reduced trade barriers ranging from medical devices to Scotch whisky and Welsh lamb.

We remain determined to strengthen our economic cooperation with India.

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she has had recent discussions with her Indian counterpart on increasing (a) trade with and (b) foreign direct investment from India.

Answered by Ranil Jayawardena

The United Kingdom’s trading relationship with India was worth £24.3 billion in 2021 and we are already India’s top investment destination in Europe. A trade deal with India could take our trading relationship even further.

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade recently met her counterpart, Indian Minister Goyal in London, to discuss the opportunities between both our countries.