Bangalore: The proposed enquiry by Britain's House of Commons' Trade and Industry Select Committee relates to the country's competitiveness regarding knowledge-driven sectors and not just loss of jobs to India, a British official said today (Nov 3).

While it's a matter of concern in Britain that jobs are being lost to India, the enquiry pertains to survey and review of Britain's competitiveness, and outsourcing is one of the 100s of issues that the Committee would look into, Stuart Innes, British High Commissioner in South India, said.

Addressing a seminar on investment opportunities in the UK software and IT services and later talking to reporters, he termed outsourcing as a search for competitiveness, adding, commercial decisions are for the companies to decide.

He said outsourcing should be seen in a historical context and it began as early as when nations began to trade with each other.

Innes said the UK was leader in shipbuilding but no longer now. South Korea is more competitive in the area and it's now not competitive for the UK in making ships, he observed.

However, he said there are concerns and some controversies regarding loss of jobs to India in the UK, adding, the enquiry by the Committee is scheduled to begin in February-March.

PTI