§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of direct and indirect jobs in product design and development lost since 1979 and the number of jobs now threatened as a result of the increase in (i) import penetration, (ii) the import content of exported goods and (iii) the number of branch plants of overseas companies; and what is his estimate of the reduction in the number of such jobs since 1970 and 1979, respectively.
§ Mr. Forth[holding answer 27 July 1989]: I have been asked to reply.
No information is available on the number of jobs in product design and development. The economy gains from the exchange of goods and services and from the two-way flow of investment. It cannot be assumed that increased imports and inward investment result in a loss of jobs.