New global trade and investment deals will create at least 30,000 UK jobs, the prime minister will say today.
Boris Johnson will announce £9.7 billion in new foreign investment at the Global Investment Summit today, including 18 deals that will support growth in sectors such as wind and hydrogen energy, sustainable homes and carbon capture and storage.
A deal with Spanish utility company Iberdrola, which owns Scottish Power, will involve a £6bn investment in an offshore wind facility in East Anglia, which is set to create 7,000 jobs, while 14,000 jobs will be created by logistics firm Prologis on a project to develop net zero carbon warehouses in London, the south east and the Midlands.
“The fantastic £9.7 billion of new investment we have secured today will power our economic recovery, creating thousands of jobs and helping to level up across the country,” Johnson said.
International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “These investment deals announced today will create jobs, boost the economy, spread prosperity and level up the country as we build back better and greener.”
Other investments announced today include:
- 1,180 jobs at Viridor, which plans to invest up to £1bn in decarbonisation technology
- 300 jobs at Eren Paper, which plans to acquire a mill in Shotton, North Wales, and convert it to produce cardboard from recycled paper waste
- 7,000 permanent jobs at Getir, which expects to expand its grocery delivery service across the UK
- 225 jobs at modular homes business Petra Modular and 110 jobs at Petra Group’s new “green rubber” production facility
- 90 jobs at HiPoint AG, which will invest in five new facilities for the recovery and processing of horse stall waste into reusable bedding and biofuels
- 300 jobs at the Ultimate Battery Company, which will set up a UK production plant
- 10 jobs at Global Marine’s operation which will build hybrid engine crew transfer vessels and surface effect ships to service offshore wind infrastructure
- 10 jobs at HyPoint’s new South East HQ
- Seven jobs at Crowdz, which expects to develop and launch an environmental, social and governance platform based on blockchain technology
- 10 jobs at online tree planting platform Treedom
- 15 jobs at electronic waste recycling company Tes Amm
- More than 150 jobs at Jacobs’ Birchwood laboratory in Warrington, which carries out research and development and cyber security operations.
The creation of “green” jobs has been a major facet of the government’s strategy for economic recovery and growth. Last year Johnson set out a ten-point plan and £4 billion investment in creating jobs in low carbon industries, as well as equipping workers with the skills needed to work in such roles.
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However, last month the TUC warned that 660,000 jobs could be at risk if the government’s pledge to cut carbon emissions by 78% by 2035 is not met. It said these roles could be moved offshore to countries that have better green infrastructure.
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