Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill

Matt Rodda Excerpts

2nd reading
Tuesday 6th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

It is not the threat of the American Government to our NHS that worries me; it is the threat of the Tory Government to the NHS. My right hon. Friend is absolutely right to make that distinction.

[Matt Rodda (Reading East) (Lab)]

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

I will give way once more and then I will have to make some progress.

[Matt Rodda]

I very much appreciate my right hon. Friend giving way; he has been very generous with his time. He mentions the threat of the Government to British agriculture—he is absolutely right on that—and the threat to the environment in some of the measures. Does he agree that there could also be risks for many small exporting businesses who face a series of hurdles to get over because of the Government’s trade policy?

[Nick Thomas-Symonds]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the position of small businesses. Support for small businesses, particularly exporters, is something on which the Government really have to do far better.