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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises are not adversely affected as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

Ministers and officials have engaged extensively on EU exit with businesses and trade bodies across all regions of the UK. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been meeting regularly with the five main employer bodies, including the Federation for Small Business. We want to achieve the best possible outcome and the strongest possible partnership - one that works for UK businesses. We plan to be ambitious in the upcoming negotiations and will secure the best possible access for firms to trade with and operate in the European market.