Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of Government support for accreditation and conformity assessment on businesses’ access to international markets.

The UK Government continues to support British businesses through free trade and mutual recognition agreements, in line with the Trade Strategy. These agreements typically include provisions that support the accreditation and conformity assessment sectors, providing British businesses with enhanced access to foreign markets. For instance, UK conformity assessment bodies can now apply for accreditation and approval in Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) countries, allowing British businesses to test products in the UK against CPTPP country requirements.

The UK Government routinely carries out and publishes economic assessments for trade agreements and legislation, which consider how agreements can reduce non-tariff barriers for British businesses.