UK says trade talks with India are about business travel, not broader immigration

LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) – Britain will discuss temporary business visas as part of Free Trade Agreement negotiations with India, but no deal will include broader immigration commitments or access to the British labor market for Indian workers, the minister said. Trade Minister Kemi Badenoch.

Britain began trade talks with India in January last year, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stressed that he will not sacrifice quality for speed in negotiations.

Last year, Interior Minister Suella Braverman sparked a row with comments about the possible impact of Indian immigrants in trade negotiations, citing concerns with both “open borders immigration policy with India” and those who overstay visas.

Badenoch laid out Britain’s position in response to a question about how the government is ensuring it “speaks with one voice on migration and mobility in relation to a UK-India trade deal” and avoids “disruptive political noise outside From Stage”.

“An FTA with India will not contain commitments on immigration or provide access to the UK’s internal labor market,” Badenoch said in a written response to lawmakers published on Thursday.

“There will also be no agreement on anything that undermines the principles or operation of the UK’s points-based immigration system, or undermines the UK’s ability to control its own border.”

He added that the negotiations would discuss trade mobility, “which would make it easier for highly-skilled professionals to provide services in each other’s markets on a short-term and temporary basis.”

Negotiators were also exploring provisions to facilitate mutual recognition of professional qualifications where possible with regulators, it said.

Badenoch has previously warned that the the deal may not have it all that the service sector would like.

She made no reference to when the negotiations, which have did not make rapid progress this year, he would conclude by saying he would update lawmakers “in due course” on the talks.

Reporting by Alistair Smout; Edited by Conor Humphries

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