Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that small businesses in East Yorkshire are prepared for the UK leaving the EU.

The Department is maintaining efforts to ensure businesses across the UK are ready to leave the EU on 31 October. We are pursuing a range of actions to promote awareness and understanding of what businesses, including SMEs, need to do.

We have published an SME Brexit guidance leaflet and launched a series of Get Ready Roadshows. These specifically target SMEs with information and advice and ensure intermediaries, such as banks and accountants, have the information needed to support businesses. We also recently unveiled a £10 million Business Readiness Fund for business organisations and trade associations to support businesses across the UK in understanding the steps they should take to prepare for 31 October.

Along with key local partners, the Humber LEP and Growth Hub are playing an important role in helping to deliver events and provide information to support local businesses. We will also be hosting a Brexit Business Readiness Event in Hull on 3 October.