Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the effect of non-tariff barriers, including but not limited to documentary, identity and physical checks, on the profitability of UK exporters.

HM Government has developed a Digital Market Access Service to help capture, assess and resolve non-tariff trade barriers affecting British exporters. British businesses can register barriers directly through GREAT.GOV.UK and the potential economic value of removing each barrier is part of the assessment process.

In the last financial year (2019/2020), we helped remove 175 trade barriers to trade, across 61 countries worldwide, opening new global markets for British exporters. Once we have defeated COVID-19, our analysis shows that liberalising market access barriers could boost British exports by £75 billion per year.

Our analysis, together with industry estimates, show the immense value of this important work in every corner of the United Kingdom. Our successes to date have included lifting barriers facing Scottish salmon exports to Brazil, an important boost for the fisheries sector which could be worth up to £90m over five years; lifting the lamb export ban to Japan, a helpful step for Welsh sheep farmers, worth £52 million over five years; and securing access for British beef, though the United States’ has banned EU beef for 20 years, worth £66 million over five years. Our FTA with Japan has reduced non-tariff barriers for British businesses in areas such as financial services too.