L

Lord Lilley (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 13 May 2025

Debate

Trade Negotiations

Contribution

I strongly support the free trade elements in this deal, and not just because it is a Brexit benefit, which I am sure the Minister welcomes. Given that the Indians strongly wanted to link immigration to this free trade deal, can she give us an assurance regarding the strange loophole in the intercompany transfer arrangements? Although not incentivised by the tax issues to which she referred, has there been a guarantee that it will continue? Has there been any change in the situation since the last published figures, which showed that two-thirds of all the inter- company transfers coming into the country came from the contractor route? That means that people are migrants, employed by a contractor and then supplied to British firms, and 97% of those come from India. The loophole seems to be geared to the needs of the Indian desire to export some of their people. Can the Minister confirm that no assurance has been given that this loophole will not be closed? The last available figures show 26,000 people coming from India in a single year.

More from Lord Lilley (Con)

Other recent Hansard contributions by the same speaker.

About Hansard

Hansard is the official verbatim record of proceedings in the UK Parliament. Every word spoken in the Commons and Lords is recorded and published — this page is a single contribution from that record.

Partner sites