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David Cameron challenged by global business leaders at conference David Cameron challenged by global business leaders at conference
(40 minutes later)
David Cameron has been challenge by two global business leaders over the government's approach to immigration and aviation – key areas where ministers have been heavily criticised by industry. David Cameron has been challenged by two global business leaders over the government's approach to immigration and aviation – key areas where ministers have been heavily criticised by industry.
An attempt to use the Olympics to showcase Britain as a business destination was undermined when the heads of Cisco Systems and Emirates airlines questioned him at a Global Investment Conference on Thursday.An attempt to use the Olympics to showcase Britain as a business destination was undermined when the heads of Cisco Systems and Emirates airlines questioned him at a Global Investment Conference on Thursday.
The prime minister insisted Britain has an open immigration policy for entrepreneurs and is committed to ensuring London remains an aviation hub, though he added that the government was opposed to building a third runway at Heathrow.The prime minister insisted Britain has an open immigration policy for entrepreneurs and is committed to ensuring London remains an aviation hub, though he added that the government was opposed to building a third runway at Heathrow.
Cameron told Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, that Britain could maintain its status as an aviation hub by providing more officials at passport control at the airport.Cameron told Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, that Britain could maintain its status as an aviation hub by providing more officials at passport control at the airport.
He said: "We have discovered something in the last couple of weeks that business travellers and investors would welcome even more: which is if you really tool up and put the effort in running a good service at Heathrow you can reduce the border queues right down." He said: "We have discovered something in the last couple of weeks that business travellers and investors would welcome even more, which is if you really tool up and put the effort in running a good service at Heathrow you can reduce the border queues right down."
In an attempt to reach out to overseas investors Cameron flagged up "non-dom" tax arrangements. "We do have this system in Britain of non-domiciled tax payers – people who don't pay tax on their worldwide income in the UK because they are domiciled somewhere else for tax purposes. Now we charge people for having that tax status. But if they have that tax status they are not taxed on their worldwide income and that does encourage those people to make their homes, their businesses and their base here in Britain. That will continue." In an attempt to reach out to overseas investors Cameron flagged up "non-dom" tax arrangements. "We do have this system in Britain of non-domiciled taxpayers – people who don't pay tax on their worldwide income in the UK because they are domiciled somewhere else for tax purposes. Now we charge people for having that tax status. But if they have that tax status they are not taxed on their worldwide income and that does encourage those people to make their homes, their businesses and their base here in Britain. That will continue."
He also tried to highlight the benefits of doing business in Britain shortly after John Chambers, the chairman and chief executive of Cisco, challenged him over immigration.He also tried to highlight the benefits of doing business in Britain shortly after John Chambers, the chairman and chief executive of Cisco, challenged him over immigration.
Chambers said: "You talked about incentives for small business. So much in the hi-tech industry is about creating that entrepreneur environment - blowing away the roadblocks. But a lot has to do with immigration policy and the generation of engineers and stimulating the concepts there. Could you explain on your thoughts." Chambers said: "You talked about incentives for small business. So much in the hi-tech industry is about creating that entrepreneur environment – blowing away the roadblocks. But a lot has to do with immigration policy and the generation of engineers and stimulating the concepts there. Could you explain on your thoughts?"
Cameron replied: "We do want to be an open, vibrant economy that welcomes the best and brightest to our shores. The offer we make, particularly to students, is pretty hard to match. It is very simple so don't believe all the myths. The offer is this: if you have the ability to speak the English language and a place at a British university there is no limit on the number of people that can come. And having come and studied, there are opportunities to take part in a graduate job after you have left university. You will read about immigration control in Britain. It is right we have proper immigration control but there is no limit on the number of students that can come and study and then work in the UK. Cameron replied: "We do want to be an open, vibrant economy that welcomes the best and brightest to our shores. The offer we make, particularly to students, is pretty hard to match. It is very simple, so don't believe all the myths.
"We have also introduced some very growth friendly immigration policies like the entrepreneur's visa which is a special category of people. If they've got great entrepreneurial skills, want to come to Britain, take advantage of tax changes, there is a special category. There will be experts here from UKTI [UK Trade & Investment]. Anyone has got questions about immigration or visas then please get on with them because I don't want that in any way to go get in the way of the growth story here in the UK." "The offer is this: if you have the ability to speak the English language and a place at a British university there is no limit on the number of people that can come. And having come and studied, there are opportunities to take part in a graduate job after you have left university.
Clark again challenged Cameron over aviation policy, saying: "We are just a little bit curious about the aviation policy of the coalition government in the UK. I know there are a number of options that have been presented to you, whether it is the third runway at Heathrow or the expansion of the regional airports and of course there is the [Thames] estuary project. Recently you decided to postpone the results of the review. As a foreign carrier, and Emirates is quite a big one into Heathrow and other points in the UK, it is interesting to see where the government is going on this." "You will read about immigration control in Britain. It is right we have proper immigration control but there is no limit on the number of students that can come and study and then work in the UK.
The prime minister said both coalition parties would maintain their election pledges not to build a third runway at Heathrow but he added that the aviation review would underway by the end of the year. "I do understand it is vitally important that we maintain the sort of hub status that Britain has. There are lots of different options that can be looked at." "We have also introduced some very growth-friendly immigration policies like the entrepreneur's visa, which is a special category of people. If they've got great entrepreneurial skills, want to come to Britain, take advantage of tax changes, there is a special category.
Cameron said his wife's recent experience at Heathrow showed the success of the new effort. "My wife said when she came in from a business trip from Italy she didn't even have time to put her hand into her bag to get the passport out before it was being checked. So if you put the effort in, if you make sure there is a real customer service ethos at our major airports we can improve the welcome we give people while having very important security checks … We can deliver on making Britain have hub status, making it easy to get in and out of, to trade with the rest of the world." "There will be experts here from UKTI [UK Trade & Investment]. Anyone has got questions about immigration or visas then please get on with them because I don't want that in any way to go get in the way of the growth story here in the UK."
Clark again challenged Cameron over aviation policy, saying: "We are just a little bit curious about the aviation policy of the coalition government in the UK. I know there are a number of options that have been presented to you, whether it is the third runway at Heathrow or the expansion of the regional airports and of course there is the [Thames] estuary project.
"Recently you decided to postpone the results of the review. As a foreign carrier, and Emirates is quite a big one into Heathrow and other points in the UK, it is interesting to see where the government is going on this."
The prime minister said both coalition parties would maintain their election pledges not to build a third runway at Heathrow but he added that the aviation review would be under way by the end of the year. "I do understand it is vitally important that we maintain the sort of hub status that Britain has. There are lots of different options that can be looked at."
Cameron said his wife's recent experience at Heathrow showed the success of the new effort. "My wife said when she came in from a business trip from Italy she didn't even have time to put her hand into her bag to get the passport out before it was being checked. So if you put the effort in, if you make sure there is a real customer service ethos at our major airports, we can improve the welcome we give people while having very important security checks … We can deliver on making Britain have hub status, making it easy to get in and out of, to trade with the rest of the world."