§ Mr. RapsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will set out her assessment of the prospects for future inward investment in the United Kingdom. [5736]
§ Mr. Ian McCartneyThe UK faces increasing competition to attract inward investment to and within Europe and I expect that to continue. Our record as Europe's number one location for investment from the US, Japan and Korea remains intact but we shall maintain it only by consolidating and building on the UK's attractions as an international investment location. The Invest in Britain Bureau's 1996–97 report will be published on 16 July and will contain further details of the UK's current performance.