Thangam Debbonaire
MP for Bristol West
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Whether businesses are exporting or importing goods, services or parts from other EU countries, or have EU employees, or trade with another companies who do, they are going to be affected by the UK’s departure from the EU – particularly if we leave on 31 October with no withdrawal agreement in place.
This is clearly not what I want for these businesses. I want them to have a stable environment in which to trade and plan future trade, and to provide jobs. However, as a hard Brexit is a possibility, I do want them to have information to help them prepare.
A government website and checklist about the effect of Brexit on businesses does exist and can be useful to larger businesses trading directly with the EU. But many small businesses will be indirectly affected by Brexit. They may not directly trade with the EU but have supply chains and customers who do. Many of these small businesses are unclear about Brexit’s impact on them and often think they’ll be unaffected. They’re out of the loop of government communication – they’re unaware of these web pages and may not know how to use them.
On Thursday 5 September, I asked James Duddridge MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what proactive contact his department had made with these small businesses who may not directly trade with Europe, but whose supply chains and customers do.
His answer was….for them to look at the government website.
This really isn’t good enough. It’s why I look exasperated at the end of the clip.
Help needed for small businesses indirectly affected by Brexit
So, it’s official. Parliament is prorogued for five weeks, at a time of national crisis. It’s an outrageous move when so much needs to be done and when we need more parliamentary scrutiny not less. Written questions I’ve submitted to ministers over the summer have just been batted back to me unanswered. Bills and regulations that were not completed by last week have now all fallen. Here’s just one example of something that needs to be done. Whether businesses are exporting or importing goods, services or parts from other EU countries, or have EU employees, or trade with another companies who do, they are going to be affected by the UK’s departure from the EU – particularly if we leave on 31 October with no withdrawal agreement in place. This is clearly not what I want for these businesses. I want them to have a stable environment in which to trade and plan future trade, and to provide jobs. However, as a hard Brexit is a possibility, I do want them to have information to help them prepare. A government website and checklist about the effect of Brexit on businesses does exist and can be useful to larger businesses trading directly with the EU. But many small businesses will be indirectly affected by Brexit. They may not directly trade with the EU but have supply chains and customers who do. Many of these small businesses are unclear about Brexit’s impact on them and often think they’ll be unaffected. They’re out of the loop of government communication – they’re unaware of these web pages and may not know how to use them. On Thursday 5 September, I asked James Duddridge MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what proactive contact his department had made with these small businesses who may not directly trade with Europe, but whose supply chains and customers do. His answer was….for them to look at the government website. This really isn’t good enough. It’s why I look exasperated at the end of the clip.
Posted by Thangam Debbonaire MP for Bristol West on Tuesday, September 10, 2019