Post Brexit: Small Service Businesses

Lord Bilimoria Excerpts

Monday 24th May 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

The proposals from the EU were complicated and would not have resolved many of these issues, so the noble Baroness should be wary of believing some of the propaganda she reads. We tried to reach a comprehensive agreement, but our proposals were rejected by the EU. I know that she will find this hard to believe but that is what happened in practice.

[Lord Bilimoria (CB) [V]]

My Lords, the nuances of the TCA mean country-by-country understandings for business travel. The CBI, of which I am president, welcomes the recently published guidance from the Government. However, do the Government agree that, as travel restrictions ease, government support should be provided to help businesses, particularly SMEs, navigate these complex new requirements? Do the Government also agree that the UK and the EU should work together to make these processes as efficient as possible?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

I agree with the noble Lord, and we are doing exactly that to support SMEs. The Government have announced a £20 million SME Brexit support fund. We have also established a network of 38 growth hubs to support businesses, one in each local enterprise partnership area in England, and will continue to offer whatever support we can to business.