Member

I am particularly concerned about the way the Explanatory Notes dismiss concerns about micro-businesses and small businesses. As has already been said today, Northern Ireland’s economy is built on SMEs. It consists of that, and these cannot be played down and ignored. The noble Baroness, Lady Hoey, is right to point out that in Northern Ireland we are distinctive because of the size of our small-business sector. Northern Ireland is certainly the least appropriate part of the UK to subject to legislation that negatively impacts small businesses and micro-businesses, preventing them from offsetting systems. Can the Minister please indicate today that he will reconsider? Our small businesses have suffered enough this year with the arrival of the parcels border in May, the used agricultural machinery border in June, the new labelling requirements in July, and the coming into force of the new border control posts. Can the Minister tell us what his Government are preparing to do for small businesses in Northern Ireland?