1st Report - Promoting Wales for Inward Investment
Select Committee
Welsh Affairs Committee
HC 136
27 May 2026
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Recommendations
2 results
7
The Department for Business and Trade should publish a summary of the investment enquiries generated...
Recommendation
The Department for Business and Trade should publish a summary of the investment enquiries generated by its overseas network as part of its annual inward investment results. The summary should be broken down to a UK nation level. (Recommendation, Paragraph …
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Wales Office
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9
The Minister for Investment should engage with existing intergovernmental infrastructure to co-ordinate with Welsh Government...
Recommendation
The Minister for Investment should engage with existing intergovernmental infrastructure to co-ordinate with Welsh Government ministers. Interministerial groups should be used to facilitate discussions about challenges as they develop and to agree solutions. We recommend that the next meetings of …
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Wales Office
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Conclusions (13) Observations and findings — click to expand
1
Conclusion
We welcome recent inward investment results that suggest Wales is returning to a more competitive position in comparison to the other UK nations. However, these headline figures cannot be cause for complacency. Lower value-added investment and a reliance on investment from Europe means Wales may be vulnerable in future to …
2
Conclusion
Data must be accurate, accessible and comparable to enable governments, policymakers and investment stakeholders to make the best decisions about promoting Wales for inward investment. Neither the UK nor Welsh governments are currently providing comprehensive analysis of Wales’ inward investment results. (Conclusion, Paragraph 42)
3
Conclusion
The Wales Office should work in conjunction with the Department for Business and Trade and the Office for National Statistics to produce an annual Wales-specific report on inward investment results and trends for Wales. This should include the sectoral composition of inward investment in Wales and provide a comparison with …
4
Conclusion
Wales is a strong and distinctive investment proposition, thanks to a strong pool of talent in key sectors, world-leading university research, its geopolitical stability, and capacity to work at pace and in collaboration with the UK and Welsh governments. (Conclusion, Paragraph 54) 33
5
Conclusion
No amount of promotion can overcome fundamental challenges with the business basics, so we therefore encourage the UK Government and incoming Welsh Government to continue to work together to deliver vital improvements to Wales’ infrastructure. We will continue to monitor how the UK Government invests in reserved infrastructure in Wales …
6
Conclusion
Data about Wales investment enquiries generated by DBT officials overseas and transferred to relevant partners is not being monitored or published. This makes it impossible to assess how the UK Government’s overseas network promotes Wales for inward investment. It is important that DBT demonstrates how its overseas offices deliver for …
8
Conclusion
It is disappointing that intergovernmental infrastructure does not appear to be being used to support inter-ministerial collaboration on inward investment, as a key growth priority. Consistent engagement at a ministerial level between the UK and Welsh governments would provide clear political direction to departments about the importance of collaboration between …
10
Conclusion
There is strong evidence that an arms-length investment promotion agency for Wales would have a positive impact on attracting inward investment into Wales. The Committee recognises that establishing an investment promotion agency for Wales is in the gift of the Welsh Government. However, should the Welsh Government choose to do …
11
Conclusion
We encourage the incoming Welsh Government to seriously consider establishing a dedicated investment promotion agency. If the Welsh Government establishes an investment promotion agency for Wales, the Department for Business and Trade must set out how it will work with the agency in a Memorandum of Understanding. DBT should do …
12
Conclusion
The Welsh diaspora is an untapped resource that offers new and exciting opportunities to engage with emerging markets and strengthen the diversity of Wales’ inward investment profile in a distinctly Welsh and personal way. The UK Government should celebrate and better connect with a Welsh diaspora that is successful in …
13
Conclusion
The Wales Office should develop and implement an investment-focused Welsh diaspora engagement strategy by summer 2027. The Wales Office should do this in conjunction with the Department for Business and Trade and in collaboration with the Welsh Government, to avoid duplication and to harness the strength of the UK Government’s …
14
Conclusion
Clusters present an opportunity to showcase and communicate Wales’ strengths to prospective investors, and these valuable stories should be more consistently harnessed to promote a region’s advantages to investors. (Conclusion, Paragraph 101) 35
15
Conclusion
The Wales Office should lead work with the Department for Business and Trade to map Wales’ clusters and catalogue what they offer for prospective investors in sectors relevant to each cluster, such as R&D facilities and a robust supply chain. This map and catalogue should be regularly updated and provided …