You asked

I am writing to request the following data series: FDI 'new project successes' by region. I have read in the literature on FDI location that the Office for National Statistics provided this measure in its 'Regional Trends' annual publications. I believe this data on this measure was provided from 1981-2006 or later.

However, the ONS no longer produces the Regional Trends publication and the publications on the ONS national archive pages only span the 2010s (and have around 3 missing years). Could the ONS please produce the prior mentioned publications and/or the data series for the data point 'new FDI project successes' for each UK region for any of the years 1981-2006?

We said

Thank you for your request.

Our regional trends publications, from the 2000 to 2011 edition, are available at the following url:

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160129145428/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-trends/regional-trends/index.html

Within the 2004 edition, the reference tables include 'industry and agriculture' tables. Table 13.08 'direct inward investment' shows project successes – defined as a case where an overseas company specifies an interest and successfully completes an investment in the UK -- for manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries. The time series covered within this table is 1998/99 to 2002/03. This is all the information we hold regarding this.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) also publish information on FDI projects by regions of England, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They include number of FDI projects and new jobs. The following url links to the 2019 to 2020 release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-international-trade-inward-investment-results-2019-to-2020/department-for-international-trade-inward-investment-results-2019-to-2020

If you are interested in these statistics, the DIT contact information provided within that release is provided:

Contact DIT's Investment Services Team or by email enquiries@invest-trade.uk, or by telephone: +44 (0)207 000 9012.