Concerned over escalating tension in the United Kingdom over outsourcing of jobs to India, British Labour MP Julie Morgan said on Saturday that the issue should be debated and "much dialogue should be held as early possible".
Morgan, who was a part of a visiting all-women British delegation of Labour MPs, told an interactive session organised by Confederation of Indian Industry that 530 jobs by two companies had been shifted to India from her constituency Cardiff North, which had caused a lot of consternation in political circles there.
Outsourcing and India: Complete Coverage
She said that politically it was very difficult to support outsourcing as this was decreasing job opportunities at home. "Much dialogue should be made on this issue," she urged.
Another British parliamentarian from Forest of Dean constituency Diana Organ was of the opinion that outsourcing was something of an issue in UK.
She said that the UK should not undertake any kind of protectionism by disallowing outsourcing of jobs to other countries including India.
Jackie Lawrence, MP from Preseli Pembrokeshire, said that there was need to take a holistic view on outsourcing.
Other members of delegation were Dari Taylor, Laura Moffatt, Phyllis Starkey, Oona King, Christine Russel, Sandra Osborne, and Judy Mallaber.
The delegation represented Labour Friends of India, an independent British Parliamentary Group promoting understanding and appreciation amongst Labour Parliamentarians about India and developing good relations between the two governments.
Earlier, Organ said in her speech that the UK government supported India's candidature for getting a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council.
She said that UK recognised India's importance as a number of Indian entrepreneurs had made substantial investments in Britain.
Organ said that there should be a two-way partnership between the two countries, which shared the same democratic values and history.
Talking about the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme of the British Government, MP Oona King said that the population profile in UK showed that younger people were decreasing in numbers.
She said that there was a lot of opportunities for skilled young Indians to take up jobs there.
CII(ER) chairman Sanjay Budhia said that the chamber would play a strong role in pushing the Indo-British Partnership Initiative ahead.
WBIDC Chairman Somnath Chatterjee was also present at the occasion.
