International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox today announced his department will launch new content to promote more than £30 billion worth of FDI opportunities, which will help to drive growth across the UK.
UK Invest, which is set to launch in the coming weeks, will make use of the Invest is GREAT website to publicise more than 60 opportunities across the country, and ensure the international investment community understand the rich breadth of the UK offer.
Hosted on invest.great.gov.uk, the portfolio will provide a quick and simple signpost for international investors looking to gain access to or grow their existing holdings in the UK economy.
The UK is the number one destination for inward investment in Europe. The portfolio will appeal to global investors who are attracted to the UK’s open, liberal economy, flexible and dynamic labour market, business-friendly taxation and regulation and strong, transparent rule of law.
International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said:
As an international economic department, we have been building relationships with the world’s most important investment stakeholders, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and investor developers.
UK Invest will work with every part of the UK to identify investment opportunities, and ensure the strong appetite for investing in the UK generates prosperity and jobs in every part of the country.
The announcement comes as statistics released this week by the ONS reveal that UK exports rose 10.4% to £627.6 billion between March 2017 and the end of February 2018, with increases in both goods and services and a £12.9 billion reduction in the trade deficit.
A new report from HSBC also revealed that the export boom looks set to continue in the coming years, predicting that the value of UK exports of goods and services will rise by 22% by 2020, and double by 2030.
DIT is the focal point for foreign investment capability across government, and helped attract a record 2,265 FDI projects in 2016 to 2017, up 2% on the previous year. This is estimated to have created or safeguarded more than 108,000 jobs.
Background
The invest.great.gov.uk site already provides a range of information to help international businesses invest in the UK. This includes details on:
- how DIT can helps companies to build connections with businesses across their sectors in the UK
- advice on hiring staff from recruitment through to salary benchmarking
- unique insights into specific markets in the UK based on companies’ needs
- information on grants and incentives to help businesses grow in the UK
- assistance with visa applications and other immigration issues
Link: Press release: Liam Fox to promote FDI opportunities to further boost UK trade
Source: Gov Press Releases
