§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which members of his Department had discussions with GJW, and on how many occasions and what dates concerning the wish by Cape plc to amend the Access to Justice Bill [Lords] to ban foreign workers of British companies obtaining legal aid; and whether the statement by officials that they would not be keen to see any developments which discouraged multinationals from locating their headquarters in the United Kingdom was made with the knowledge of Ministers. [78747]
§ Mr. WillsOne of my officials recalls receiving a telephone call in early March from a Mr. Weeks, who did not identify himself as being from GJW, about inward investment. During this conversation the point was made that HMG supports inward investment into the UK. Cape plc were not mentioned during the conversation and it was not reported to Ministers.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria he uses in relation to a multinational's conduct and working practices abroad to assess the desirability of the company locating its headquarters in the United Kingdom. [78743]
§ Mr. WillsMultinationals who choose to locate their headquarters in the UK do so because the UK provides the right business environment in which they can flourish. Key features of top performing companies are the effectiveness and quality of their management and the commitment which that inspires in their workforce. Whilst the Government seek, through international bodies such as the UN, to improve working practices abroad they do not seek to vet the practices of individual companies that wish to establish headquarters in the UK. The Government are committed to creating a corporate culture in the UK where fairness is second nature. The National Minimum Wage Act 1998, the Working Time Regulations and the Employment Relations Bill will ensure that workers have minimum standards of protection.