§ 19. Charlotte AtkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on inward investment in the UK. [105768]
§ Mr. CabornThe UK had another record year for attracting inward investment projects in 1998–99. The Invest in Britain Bureau recorded 652 decision to invest in the UK with almost 119,000 associated jobs. These figures are underscored by latest Office for National Statistics data which show that at the end of the third quarter 1999, the total stock of inward investment in the UK amounted to £222 billion, an increase of 21 per cent. over the previous year.
The UK remains the number 1 location in Europe for inward investment and this Government are committed to providing a stable economic framework to ensure that the UK stays ahead of its competitors.