13 Mar
Question
Product Safety Regulations

The debate focused on clarifying efforts by the UK Government to support microbusinesses in complying with general product safety regulations (GPSR), with an emphasis on maintaining smooth trade relations post-Brexit. It also touched on related macroeconomic issues like energy costs affecting businesses at large.

Outcome

The Minister reiterated the Government's commitment to supporting microbusinesses, particularly regarding trade with the EU and adhering to safety standards, while also acknowledging broader business challenges such as energy costs. No immediate policy changes were announced but ongoing initiatives were highlighted.

Key Contributions

Tony Vaughan
Labour

Queried government support for microbusinesses' compliance with product safety regulations; highlighted a constituent's Brexit-related trade concerns.

Justin Madders

Outlined Government support for microbusinesses including training and practical guidance initiatives; acknowledged the centrality of resolving trade frictions with the EU.

Charlie Maynard
Liberal Democrats

Raised high electricity costs as a concern for businesses; argued for the reintegration of UK and EU electricity markets to save costs and reduce carbon emissions.

Original Transcript
Tony Vaughan
Folkestone and Hythe
Lab
Question
UIN: 903166

7. What steps his Department is taking to help microbusinesses comply with the general product safety regulations.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Justin Madders

The Government are committed to supporting microbusinesses to comply with the general product safety regulation. For Northern Ireland, we have published additional guidance for businesses, and we will publish an update in the coming weeks, in the light of feedback we have received.

We will continue to engage with businesses to ensure that they can trade freely across the UK. Businesses targeting the EU market may use the Government’s export support service.

Since October 2024, the Department’s export academy has delivered eight free online GPSR training sessions to almost 5,000 attendees.

Tony Vaughan
09:56

I thank the Minister for his answer. My constituent George Stevens runs a microbusiness in Lydd making handcrafted stringed instruments; it has been running for over 30 years and he has many EU customers. He is deeply worried about Brexit-related red tape, which is holding back his EU exports.

Can the Minister give him an assurance that, as a result of the proposed measures, he will now find it easier to trade with the EU?

Justin Madders
09:57

Microbusinesses such as that of Mr Stevens are central to the Government’s growth mission.

We are committed to strengthening our relationship with the EU and to tackle trade barriers and frictions, and we regularly engage directly with businesses and their representative organisations to understand the difficulties they face.

Our export support services help small and medium-sized enterprises navigate opportunities in EU markets and get the practical help they need to do so.

For example, the Unlock Europe programme, which was launched in December as part of the export academy, offers practical guidance to help UK businesses enhance their exporting potential to the EU.

Charlie Maynard
Witney
LD
09:57

Our country’s very high electricity costs are another huge problem facing businesses in my constituency and nationally.

Reintegrating our power markets with Europe’s through the single-day ahead coupling system would cost our country nothing, save costs for businesses, reduce carbon dioxide and make our power markets more efficient.

Will the Minister take fast steps to reintegrate our electricity markets with those of our European neighbours?

Justin Madders
09:58

I thank the hon. Member for his tangential question relating to GPSR.

He makes an important point about energy costs, and we are working closely with the EU on how to build on that, and of course the industrial strategy will also be looking very closely at how energy costs can be brought down for businesses.

All content derived from official parliamentary records