Nick Clegg:

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is heading a delegation to Turkey that is aiming to reinforce diplomatic and business relationships.

Along with a delegation of 18 CEOs and senior executives, Clegg is visiting Turkish businesses to discuss new deals and ventures potentially worth half a billion pounds.  The Deputy PM will also meet with President Gul, Prime Minister Erdogan and Deputy Prime Minister Babacan.

Cleggs announcements include:

• Turkish company HDM Steel Pipe is to open a £7 million facility in Cardiff. This will create around 40 jobs with room for expansion in the future.
• West Midlands company Concept Steels have signed a £5 million export contract with Turkish company Vastas A S.
• Turkish hospital group Florence Nightingale is to establish its European headquarters in London, creating new jobs.

Clegg said that it was “fantastic” news for the UK workforce. "Turkey is Europe's seventh largest economy and is one of the worlds largest markets. My main aim this week is to ensure that more UK firms can capitalise on the economic opportunities Turkey offers.”

"We have an ambitious aim to double bilateral trade by 2015. It has increased by 40 per cent since 2009 so we are making good progress towards the target, and this visit will bring us even closer."

Last year saw Turkish imports of British goods and services leap by more than 20 per cent. More than 2,200 British companies have invested in Turkey, including Marks & Spencer, TESCO, Vodafone and Laura Ashley.