The cross-party, cross-business UK Trade and Business Commission today heard that post-Brexit import checks are resulting in less choice and higher prices for UK consumers.

Responding to analysis by the Office of Budget Responsibility that the UK missed out on much of the recovery in global trade after the start of the pandemic, and appears to be a ‘less trade intensive economy’, Hilary Benn MP, Co-Chair of UK Trade and Business Commission, said:

Responding to the Public Accounts Committee Report warning that post-Brexit trade agreements may not provide any "actual economic benefits", Hilary Benn MP, Co-Chair of the UK Trade and Business Commission, said:

MPs and business leaders have today outlined a roadmap for the UK and EU to remove continued points of division and barriers to trade as both sides face massive external economic and security challenges.

The UK and EU are facing fresh calls to reduce divisions over the Northern Ireland Protocol in the face of greater common international challenges.

Members of the cross-party, cross-industry UK Trade and Business Commission will visit Northern Ireland on 3rd March to gather evidence from business leaders and port officials on trade under the Protocol.

A new statement from the Treasury suggests that the UK Government has collected no data about how much new post-Brexit import checks are costing businesses.

Today, new ONS figures on challenges facing UK businesses showed that weeks after the introductions of new post-Brexit import checks, a third of businesses reported a drop in turnover, 72% of businesses reported importing challenges and that less than two thirds of transport and storage businesses were fully trading.

Responding to the report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that ‘the only detectable impact’ of Brexit so far is ‘increased costs, paperwork and border delays’ Tamara Cincik CEO of Fashion Roundtable who sits on the UK Trade and Business Commission said,

Business leaders in Northern Ireland have called for stability amid the developing crisis over the Northern Ireland Protocol today.

Industry experts have urged the UK government to pursue a more holistic approach to investment in manufacturing, including a nationally sustained programme and long-term strategy, to prevent the sector from becoming a “brain drain” for talent.

Responding to the ONS October trade statistics, Alison Williams, member of the UK Trade and Business Commission and Global Head of Data at DunnHumby, said:

A commission of MPs and business leaders have been warned that triggering Article 16 would turn Northern Ireland into a "backwater" of foreign direct investment, jeopardising businesses, harming consumers and discouraging people in Great Britain from trading with Northern Ireland.

Research experts and charities working with people with serious and often terminal illnesses have said that delays to research and clinical trials from Brexit could mean the difference between ‘life or death’ for patients.

Responding to Keir Starmer’s speech at the CBI annual conference, Peter Norris, Chair of Virgin Group and Co-Chair of the UK Trade and Business Commission, said:

At a session of the UK Trade and Business Commission today, travel industry leaders have warned that the future of the UK outbound travel sector is at risk if the Government fails to agree a Youth Mobility Visa with EU partners enabling young people to develop the skills and experience needed for the industry in the coming years.

Responding to news that Amazon will no longer accept UK visa credit cards citing increased costs since Brexit, Tamara Cincik, from the cross-industry, cross-party UK Trade and Business Commission said,

Responding to the news that the UK’s Brexit losses are more than 178 times bigger than trade deal gains, Hilary Benn MP, Chair of the UK Trade and Business Commission, said

New analysis shows that replacing the EU trade lost since 2018 with trade from other countries could increase annual emissions from shipping to and from the UK by 88%.

Responding to comments from the Office for Budget Responsibility that Brexit would have double the negative impact on the UK economy compared to the pandemic, Hilary Benn MP, Chair of the UK Trade and Business Commission, said: