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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Brexit on UK supply chains; and how they plan to minimise potential disruptions.

The Government is working towards a mutually beneficial outcome to the withdrawal negotiations. Nevertheless, a responsible government plans for contingency scenarios. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimize disruption for UK supply chains. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand their concerns and interests.

As we leave the EU there is an opportunity for us to do far more to engage with the wider world beyond Europe where there is so much emerging innovation and opportunity. The Industrial Strategy builds on our strengths, creating strong foundations to meet the challenges of the future, and will help us make the best of our relations with Europe and beyond, helping to ensure that minimal disruptions are made to UK supply chains.

This includes £16m, subject to business case, for an industry-led supplier competitiveness and productivity improvement programme to support a sustainable and internationally competitive UK supply chain and new measures under UK Export Finance to enhance support available for exporters and their supply chains. This builds on the extensive support Government has given to supply chains including £80m since 2013 for the Sharing in Growth programme focussing on the aerospace sector.