Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to renegotiate part of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement given reports of threats to (1) export businesses, and (2) the sustainability of manufacturing operations in the UK.

We recognise that the Covid pandemic, war in Ukraine and energy crisis have shocked supply chains, meaning raw material costs for manufacturers of electric vehicles have spiked since we signed the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). This is a problem for manufacturers across Europe, not just in the UK. Ministers have raised this with the European Commission and we're ready to work with the EU and industry to find a joint UK-EU solution.

The UK Government is supporting industry through the Automotive Transformation Fund and Advanced Propulsion Centre to develop a high-value end-to-end electrified automotive supply chain in the UK and support cutting-edge automotive technologies. In the coming months, the Government will build on these interventions with decisive action to ensure future investment in zero emission vehicle manufacturing.