Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Trade in the UK

Wednesday 9 November 2022 · 4 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

  • The Government are committed to ensuring businesses can trade freely throughout the United Kingdom.
  • The Government have spent 340 million on the trader support service for 2.3 million customs declarations through the end of the year under the protocol.
  • Northern Ireland is a place with many innovative businesses that increasingly report on environmental, social and governance standards.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alexander Stafford
Northern Ireland Business & Trade
Context

The issue pertains to the difficulties faced by businesses due to the protocol, involving significant customs declaration costs.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to help Northern Irish businesses trade with the rest of the UK. The Government's approach has spent £340 million on the trader support service for 2.3 million customs declarations through the end of the year under the protocol, illustrating the problems with it.

Answer from Steven Baker

The Government are committed to ensuring that businesses can trade freely throughout the United Kingdom. Our approach includes spending £340 million on the trader support service for 2.3 million customs declarations through the end of the year under the protocol, illustrating the problems with it. We are in constructive dialogue to deliver change and keep the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill before Parliament.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Steps taken to assist businesses directly are not detailed, focusing instead on spending and dialogue.

How: Under Review, Constructive Dialogue

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Q2 Alexander Stafford
Northern Ireland Business & Trade Environment
Context

The question highlights the importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations in business operations.

Question

Northern Ireland boasts some of the UK's most innovative businesses. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that Northern Irish businesses are placing environmental, social and governance considerations at the heart of their operations? Does he agree that cementing Northern Ireland's place as a global leader in ESG will stimulate regional jobs and growth and will turbocharge investment in the Province and across the UK?

Answer from Steven Baker

My hon. Friend is absolutely right that Northern Ireland boasts some of the UK's most innovative businesses and is a fantastically attractive place to invest. An increasing number of organisations in Northern Ireland report on environmental, social and governance standards. I regularly visit businesses in Northern Ireland, as does the Secretary of State.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Steps taken specifically for ESG are not detailed; focuses on general attractiveness and regular visits.

How: Under Review

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Q3 Stephen Farry
Northern Ireland Business & Trade
Context

The question addresses the need for dual market access, both within the UK and in Europe.

Question

What businesses in Northern Ireland want, alongside political stability, is dual market access. As well as working to ensure that businesses have access to the rest of the UK market, will the Minister ensure that access to the European market will be preserved and that the Government will do nothing to compromise it?

Answer from Steven Baker

We are committed to maintaining dual market access. We hope to negotiate a position with the European Union in which that is possible, while preserving the east-west strand of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement. We want to restore the constitutional status of Northern Ireland while ensuring that market access.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific commitments or actions for dual market access are not provided; focuses on negotiation and constitutional aspects.

How: Under Review

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Q4 Richard Thomson
Northern Ireland
Context

The question raises concerns about the political damage caused by the Government's failure to begin negotiations earlier and seeks a commitment for a negotiated settlement.

Question

May I take the opportunity to associate myself and my party with the Secretary of State's remarks about the 35th anniversary of the bombing in Enniskillen? Our thoughts are with all those who continue, to this day, to be affected by that event. Maroš Šefčovič has said that if there is political will, issues around the Northern Ireland protocol could be resolved within a couple of weeks. Does the Secretary of State understand the political damage that has been caused by the Government's failure to begin negotiations on the issue earlier in the year? Will he commit to doing all he can to achieve a negotiated settlement before the year is out?

Answer from Steven Baker

I shall have to answer procedurally, but of course we understand the political implications of where we are. The most significant is the collapse of the institutions because of the legitimate concerns of Unionism and of the DUP in particular. We recognise the legitimate interests of all parties, including the European Union and Ireland. Of course if we completely conceded our interests we would achieve a deal within weeks, but this country and Government are humble in accepting EU interests and resolute in defending own.

Not addressed: Specific commitment to achieving a negotiated settlement by the year's end is not given; focused on procedural aspects and implications of concessions.

How: Procedural

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