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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role (1) chambers of commerce, and (2) trade associations, can play in supporting the UK economic growth.

Chambers of commerce and trade associations play an important role in supporting the UK’s economic growth. In June, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State led a series of roundtables, bringing together businesses, business representative groups and leading academics from the UK to consider the measures needed to support the UK’s economic recovery from Covid-19. This was attended by the British Chambers of Commerce, the national representative body of 52 Accredited Chambers of Commerce across the UK and Energy UK, the trade association for British energy. There is also regular engagement with the British Chambers of Commerce at a variety of senior levels within the Department.