Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support small businesses in Northern Ireland by (a) simplifying guidance, (b) reducing administrative burdens and (c) assisting firms trading under the Windsor Framework to navigate post-Brexit trade rules.

The government is committed to supporting Small and Medium Sized Enterprises across the country with our Small Business Plan setting out the most comprehensive package of support for SMEs in a generation, including through the new Business Growth Service. We are cutting the administrative burden of regulation by 25%, saving businesses £5.6bn, by the end of the Parliament. In addition, our dedicated team in Belfast work in partnership with the local ecosystem of the devolved Government and its agencies, including Invest Northern Ireland and local councils, to provide complementary business support.

On the Windsor Framework, we recognise the importance of clear guidance to help businesses place products on the Northern Ireland market. The Government is considering its response to the recommendations, including those on guidance, made in Lord Murphy’s Independent Review. We will respond in due course, in accordance with the law.