Britain sees inward investment projects up 11% in 2012/13

Britain has seen 1,559 inward investment projects secured, 11 percent more than last year, said UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) in a report published Wednesday. These foreign investment projects are estimated to have brought with them 170,000 jobs, 51 percent more than in the previous year. Of these, nearly 60,000 were new jobs and 110,000 existing jobs were safeguarded, said UKTI. The annual report showed recorded increases were spread throughout the country. Wales and Northern Ireland recorded significant increases of 191 percent and 41 percent respectively in investment projects, while Scotland registered a 16-percent increase in the number of investments. The number of foreign direct investment (FDI) projects landing in England (excluding London) increased by 10 percent, reaching 759 projects. \"Britain continues to attract high quality investment from around the globe both from our established economic partners in Europe, North America and Japan but also from key growing markets such as India and China,\" said UKTI. Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green said, \"Britain has received a major vote of confidence from foreign investors confirming that Britain remains a world-leading business destination.\"