UK Trade with EU

(asked on 21st September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has contingency plans to minimise disruption at UK borders in the event that the Smart Freight system fails to work effectively.


Answered by
Penny Mordaunt Portrait
Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
This question was answered on 2nd October 2020

Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.

On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.

A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.

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