Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Outstanding EU Trade Issues

Thursday 21 April 2022 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government has delivered the first free trade agreement with zero tariffs and quotas.
  • Discussions on supply chain resilience occur regularly across Whitehall departments.
  • Government continues to monitor and engage closely with industry groups and stakeholders.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Bell Ribeiro-Addy Lab Clapham and Brixton Hill
Brexit Business & Trade
Context

Discussions on resolving outstanding EU trade issues.

Question

What recent discussions has the government had with Cabinet colleagues to resolve ongoing issues related to EU trade?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan

This Government have delivered the first free trade agreement based on zero tariffs and quotas. The focus is now on implementation, ensuring it benefits citizens and businesses. An export support service has received over 8,000 unique enquiries since its launch in October.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Details of recent Cabinet discussions were not provided

How: Our Focus Is On Implementation

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Karl McCartney Con
Brexit Business & Trade
Context

Concerns about the impact of supply chains on EU trade.

Question

Supply chain resilience is very important to EU trade. How often does my right hon. Friend have conversations with colleagues in the Department for Transport and how helpful are these discussions?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan

Discussions occur regularly across Whitehall. Businesses have faced supply chain issues due to covid, Russia, Belarus, and new supply chain challenges need support through the export service.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Frequency and effectiveness of conversations were not specified

How: Discussions Occur Regularly, Support Available Through The Export Service

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Nia Griffith Lab Llanelli
Brexit Business & Trade
Context

The British Chambers of Commerce cites Brexit red tape as a cause of export stagnation; IT systems issues have contributed to gridlock in Kent.

Question

I hope the Secretary of State agrees that her Department's business is not just about making deals but ensuring they work for UK businesses. The BCC, RHA, and Cold Chain Federation highlight Brexit red tape causing export stagnation, IT system failures contributing to massive gridlock, and Britain seen as too much hassle. What are the Secretary of State and her Cabinet colleagues doing to resolve this situation?

Answer from Anne-Marie Trevelyan

Several factors contributed to short-term delays, including refitting ships, roadworks, bad weather, ferry damage, and checks for operators. Government continues monitoring with DfT engaging closely with Dover port, ferry operators, industry groups, and local stakeholders.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific actions to address the issue were not detailed

How: Several Factors Contributed, Continuing To Monitor

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)