Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the UK's departure from the EU single market on the (a) administrative and (b) other costs faced by UK small businesses trading with EU customers; and what steps he plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to support the competitiveness of those businesses.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade continuously monitors the impact of leaving the EU on costs to businesses through our business surveys, ONS reports, and other intelligence sources, as well as through regular direct engagement with exporters - Minister Alexander and I recently hosted a roundtable with SMEs specifically about exporting to the EU. Indeed, a report published by the LSE just this week highlights the disproportionate detrimental impact that Brexit has had on small businesses, with goods exports to the EU dropping by an estimated 30% for the smallest firms.
This Government is addressing those challenges by resetting our relationship with the EU, as discussed between the Prime Minister and European Commission President Ursula Ven Der Leyen in October. We are exploring ways to prevent unnecessary border checks and strengthening our export support service - we launched the 'Unlock Europe' programme earlier this month as part of the Export Academy, which offers practical guidance that will help UK businesses enhance their exporting potential to the EU.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) leaving the EU single market and (b) ending free movement with the EU on economic growth; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of rejoining the EU single market.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are resetting the relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties and tackle barriers to trade. But we’ve been clear that there will be no return to the single market.
Hearing from businesses about how they have been impacted by Brexit and how the relationship with the EU can be improved is key. In addition to formal channels such as the UK TCA Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum, my ministerial colleagues, officials and I have been engaging directly with businesses including through round table events with industry leaders.