Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Product Safety Regulations

Thursday 13 March 2025 · 2 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 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Tony Vaughan asked the Minister about concerns from a constituent running a microbusiness affected by Brexit-related red tape hindering EU exports.
  • Charlie Maynard inquired about the high electricity costs affecting businesses in his constituency and nationally, suggesting reintegration with Europe's power markets could save costs and reduce carbon dioxide.
  • The Minister acknowledged the importance of engaging directly with businesses to understand and address trade barriers and frictions, including issues related to energy costs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tony Vaughan Lab Folkestone and Hythe
Brexit Business & Trade
Context

A constituent, George Stevens, runs a microbusiness making handcrafted stringed instruments in Lydd. He has EU customers and is worried about Brexit-related red tape affecting his exports.

Question

My constituent George Stevens runs a microbusiness in Lydd making handcrafted stringed instruments; it has been running for over 30 years and he has many EU customers. He is deeply worried about Brexit-related red tape, which is holding back his EU exports. Can the Minister give him an assurance that, as a result of the proposed measures, he will now find it easier to trade with the EU?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Justin Madders)

Microbusinesses such as that of Mr Stevens are central to the Government’s growth mission. We are committed to strengthening our relationship with the EU and to tackle trade barriers and frictions, and we regularly engage directly with businesses and their representative organisations to understand the difficulties they face. Our export support services help small and medium-sized enterprises navigate opportunities in EU markets and get the practical help they need to do so.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Minister did not provide a specific assurance that George Stevens's business will find it easier to trade with the EU as a result of proposed measures.

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Q2 Charlie Maynard Lib Dem Witney
Energy Business & Trade
Context

The high cost of electricity is a major issue for businesses in the constituency and nationally. Integrating power markets through single-day ahead coupling could reduce costs, carbon dioxide emissions, and improve efficiency.

Question

Our country’s very high electricity costs are another huge problem facing businesses in my constituency and nationally. Reintegrating our power markets with Europe’s through the single-day ahead coupling system would cost our country nothing, save costs for businesses, reduce carbon dioxide and make our power markets more efficient. Will the Minister take fast steps to reintegrate our electricity markets with those of our European neighbours?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Justin Madders)

I thank the hon. Member for his tangential question relating to GPSR. He makes an important point about energy costs, and we are working closely with the EU on how to build on that, and of course the industrial strategy will also be looking very closely at how energy costs can be brought down for businesses.

Not addressed: The Minister did not address the specific request to reintegrate UK electricity markets with EU markets through single-day ahead coupling.

How: Tangential

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