Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the expected cost to businesses in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland of requirements for (i) Export Health Certificates for EU imports into Great Britain, (ii) Phytosanitary Certificates and physical checks on most remaining SPS goods at Border Control Posts and (iii) Safety and Security declaration requirements on EU imports into Great Britain.

In April the Government published a draft version of the Border Target Operating Model, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, that will introduce a new world-class border system from October 2023. It will implement vital border controls that will protect the UK from security and biosecurity threats, while preventing delays at the border through a reduction in the need for physical checks and by ensuring that checks take place away from ports where this is needed to allow traffic to flow freely. To limit the burden on businesses, our new proposed risk-based global model will use data and technology to simplify and streamline import trade processes.

Many low-risk animals and plant products will not require any certificates or physical checks, which will make them significantly easier to import than under the previously proposed model or the EU model. By minimising costs and preventing delays at the border, we estimate it could save UK importers around £400m each year compared to the previously proposed model as stated in the Borders Target Operating Model. Through the Single Trade Window, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other businesses will only need to submit their data once and in one place - simplifying their experience when interacting with the Government and significantly reducing the administrative burden.

We are now in a period of engagement with businesses across the UK so we can hear their views on our draft proposals and work with them to explore the costs of implementing the new model. We do not have detailed data on the location of businesses which import SPS products, but expect that the costs of both the SPS and S&S regulatory requirements will be proportional to the distribution of imports across the countries of Great Britain.