Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans she has to establish a dedicated (a) telephone helpline and (b) online support chat service for individuals and companies facing logistical problems or tariff rates queries relating to their UK imports and exports from 1 January 2021.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) has a telephone helpline for businesses to ask trade-related queries. In December 2018, we established an online support service to help traders to understand the EU Exit and Transition processes and answer questions on DIT policy, including tariffs. Companies should continue to use these resources now and post-1^st January 2021 for support to prepare for changes as we leave the Single Market and Customs Union.

This Department is working with Cabinet Office and other departments to ensure traders and hauliers have the right support. In addition to Departmental helplines, Cabinet Office has set up the EU Transition Trader and Industry Forum, which traders and logistics companies can use to ask questions from government officials - https://transition-forum.service.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

For logistics companies, the Department for Transport has set up 45 information and advice sites across the country which hauliers can visit if they need advice and support. A list of those sites can be found here- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/haulier-advice-site-locations