Amidst the backlash against outsourcing from India in the United Kingdom, Britain has ruled out any protectionist measure for its domestic industry.

"We are a supporter of a free market economy...we will not take any protectionist measure...Britain also benefits from outsourcing," British Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs Mike O'Brien told PTI in an interview.

Pointing that employment in Britain was at an all-time high, he said the government had categorically told the trade unions that it would not take any protectionist measure which was against the spirit of free trade.

He said that while there were number of call centres in India, there were call centres in Britain also, and added that it was upto the industry to decide from whom to take services from.

However, Brien admitted there were certain benefits in outsourcing as companies could focus on generating new and sustainable jobs.

He said the government would invest in skills of the workforce and promote innovation to create a dynamic nation at the forefront of the knowledge economy.

Brien pointed out that while newspapers talk about the jobs lost, they said nothing about the number of jobs gained as a result of companies investing into Britain.