India

(asked on 29th October 2014) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many candidates there were for the role of Indian Diaspora Champion; and how that Champion was selected.


Answered by
Lord Swire Portrait
Lord Swire
This question was answered on 5th November 2014

The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Witham (Ms Patel), was appointed to the role by the Prime Minister in November 2013. Since then, she has led a programme of Indian diaspora engagement across the UK focused on strengthening UK-India ties. Her work has included direct outreach visits – including to Gravesend, Hounslow, Neasden, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Leicester in the UK – as well as engagement with key people in the UK’s diaspora and in India itself, and relevant media work.

Since her appointment, the Indian Diaspora Champion has made three visits to India. Funding for these visits has come from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s existing budget.

The Indian Diaspora Champion has made representations to both the UK Government and the Government of India on several issues on behalf of the Indian diaspora, including the EU ban on importing Indian mangoes, visa service issues, and bilateral trade and investment matters. Like other British Government representatives, the Indian Diaspora Champion has also sought to address misconceptions of the offer that the UK makes to Indian students in the UK, making clear that the UK welcomes Indian students, that there is no cap on total student numbers who can come to the UK, and that they can stay on after completing study if they secure a graduate-level job.

The Government engages closely on a day-to-day basis with many diaspora communities in the UK, but has no plans at present to appoint further diaspora champions.

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