UK Border Strategy: Single Trade Window

Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate Excerpts

Tuesday 25th February 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate]

To ask His Majesty’s Government why they have paused the implementation of the Single Trade Window as set out in the 2025 UK Border Strategy (CP352), published in December 2020.

[The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Livermore) (Lab)]

My Lords, in the context of a challenging fiscal inheritance—

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

In the context of a challenging fiscal inheritance, the Government paused the delivery of the single trade window as part of a wider value-for-money review across public spending. It remains our long-term intention to deliver a single trade window to support businesses trading across the UK border, and we will provide an update as part of the next phase of the spending review.

[Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate (Con)]

I find that Answer somewhat disappointing and repetitive. I put it to the Minister that this trade window has been accepted. It was a Conservative proposal, which, for once, I believed that the new Government were going to agree to. It has massive support among our traders and all our businesses. It will save them £2 billion in the next 10 years in extra paperwork and red tape. Does the Minister not agree that having the trade window would fit exactly within the Government’s policies of improving the growth in our economy and encouraging trade around the world?

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

I am grateful to the noble Lord for his question. He is absolutely right when he talks about additional bureaucracy and red tape—created by the Brexit trade deal that the previous Government agreed to. That is the only reason why we need to try to ameliorate the difficulties created by that trade deal. It remains our long-term intention to deliver a single trade window. Businesses benefit from trade, so minimising administrative burdens and reducing trade frictions remain a priority for this Government. We will consider the role the single trade window can play in that, and we will provide an update as part of the next phase of the spending review.