Last year 45 foreign companies moved their global or regional headquarters to London, up from just 25 in 2009, data from research group FDI Markets show. Among the moves this year: General Electric Co.’s oil and gas unit, which is departing Florence, Italy, and Chinese developer ABP (China) Holdings Group Ltd., which is setting up its worldwide head office in London.

The U.K.’s base corporate rate is now 23 percent, down from 28 percent in 2010. By 2015, the rate will drop to about 20 percent, compared with about 29 percent in Germany and about 33 percent in France. The U.S. rate is 40 percent, though deductions mean few companies pay that amount.

This would be good news if I had any great confidence that companies relocating would be paying the tax on a good proportion of their income but somehow I doubt it.

“There is definitely a swing back to the U.K. under way and I think there will be more,” said Angus Winther, a senior adviser at investment bank Evercore Partners Inc. in London. “There are huge advantages: you have a vast talent pool, infrastructure, language, and lowered tax rates.”

still if they are relocating from overseas they will still pay some tax and if its a proper relocation will employ people who will pay tax

There will be other reasons for the move for some companies. They may be coming from unstable parts of the world and many nations have immigration rules that allow people to move here if they create jobs etc. Then there is the law courts which are great for divorce settlements and then there is the cultural benefits. It will probably be a number of these that helped make the decision.