To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the impact on businesses of any problems at UK ports caused by congestion and delays on roads connected to those ports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the impact on businesses of any problems at UK ports caused by congestion and delays on roads connected to those ports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the impact on businesses of any problems at UK ports caused by shortages of storage capacity for imported goods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the impact on businesses of any problems at UK ports caused by shortages of storage capacity for imported goods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact on businesses of any delays at UK ports caused by delayed customs checks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact on businesses of any delays at UK ports caused by delayed customs checks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has met with business groups to discuss the capacity of the UK’s ports and associated storage facilities ahead of Christmas 2021.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has met with business groups to discuss the capacity of the UK’s ports and associated storage facilities ahead of Christmas 2021.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) any UK ports use China's LOGINK system and (b) his Department has made an assessment of (i) LOGINK and (ii) China's role in port logistics standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) any UK ports use China's LOGINK system and (b) his Department has made an assessment of (i) LOGINK and (ii) China's role in port logistics standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Operation Zero declaration on shipping and offshore wind at COP26, what assessment he has made of suitable port locations for the infrastructure required for decarbonising the offshore wind maritime supply chain to 2025.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Operation Zero declaration on shipping and offshore wind at COP26, what assessment he has made of suitable port locations for the infrastructure required for decarbonising the offshore wind maritime supply chain to 2025.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the proposed Ely area capacity enhancement project will make adequate provision for any increase in demand for freight train paths from East Coast ports to (1) the Midlands, and (2) the North of England.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the proposed Ely area capacity enhancement project will make adequate provision for any increase in demand for freight train paths from East Coast ports to (1) the Midlands, and (2) the North of England.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken, together with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, to help prevent disruption at UK ports during the Christmas 2021 period.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken, together with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, to help prevent disruption at UK ports during the Christmas 2021 period.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce delays following the introduction of biometric border checks in May 2022 on (1) passengers in vehicles using ports, and (2) the Eurotunnel, to travel to the EU.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce delays following the introduction of biometric border checks in May 2022 on (1) passengers in vehicles using ports, and (2) the Eurotunnel, to travel to the EU.

What recent steps he has taken with HMRC to help prevent disruption at UK ports during the Christmas 2021 period.

What recent steps he has taken with HMRC to help prevent disruption at UK ports during the Christmas 2021 period.

The Government’s priority is to keep goods moving and avoid delays at the border. To ensure that, we have set up a new Cabinet Committee on logistics to deal with supply chain issues. I recognise that the new customs controls come in on 1 January. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs is supporting traders and hauliers to adjust to their new obligations following the end of the transition period.

The Government’s priority is to keep goods moving and avoid delays at the border. To ensure that, we have set up a new Cabinet Committee on logistics to deal with supply chain issues. I recognise that the new customs controls come in on 1 January. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs is supporting traders and hauliers to adjust to their new obligations following the end of the transition period.

I do not believe it is, Mr Speaker.

I do not believe it is, Mr Speaker.

I am glad that the Minister is setting up a Cabinet Committee—that is lovely—but let me tell her what is impacting people on the ground. Daniel Lambert Wines, an importer in my constituency, for example, has gone from taking seven to nine days to import wine from the EU to 12 weeks. That is really not acceptable. The national Food and Drink Federation says that it is causing huge problems for the supply chains when it comes to bringing wine into the UK, and Christmas is one of the biggest periods for purchasing. Can the Minister set out what she will do to start tackling the issues around the delays in importing wine, so that everyone can have a sensible tipple over the Christmas period?

I am glad that the Minister is setting up a Cabinet Committee—that is lovely—but let me tell her what is impacting people on the ground. Daniel Lambert Wines, an importer in my constituency, for example, has gone from taking seven to nine days to import wine from the EU to 12 weeks. That is really not acceptable. The national Food and Drink Federation says that it is causing huge problems for the supply chains when it comes to bringing wine into the UK, and Christmas is one of the biggest periods for purchasing. Can the Minister set out what she will do to start tackling the issues around the delays in importing wine, so that everyone can have a sensible tipple over the Christmas period?

The hon. Member will know that it is important to have committees to work across Government, because the supply chain issues affect all Departments. He will know of some of the actions that we have taken—30 actions to tackle HGV issues to increase efficiency in the supply chain. We have temporarily extended drivers’ hours, relaxed late-night delivery restrictions, and deployed the Ministry of Defence’s driving examiners to increase HGV testing capacity. Yesterday, the policy director of Logistics UK said that she saw a number of signs of improvement.

The hon. Member will know that it is important to have committees to work across Government, because the supply chain issues affect all Departments. He will know of some of the actions that we have taken—30 actions to tackle HGV issues to increase efficiency in the supply chain. We have temporarily extended drivers’ hours, relaxed late-night delivery restrictions, and deployed the Ministry of Defence’s driving examiners to increase HGV testing capacity. Yesterday, the policy director of Logistics UK said that she saw a number of signs of improvement.

I am sure that my right hon. and learned Friend and HMRC are working very hard to ensure that the changes to the import processes coming in on 1 January run smoothly and do not result in lots of additional friction at the border. However, the Federation of Small Businesses has estimated that just one in four smaller companies is actually prepared for the changes that are about to happen. Is she aware of that particular issue? If she is, what action is she taking in the short time that remains?

I am sure that my right hon. and learned Friend and HMRC are working very hard to ensure that the changes to the import processes coming in on 1 January run smoothly and do not result in lots of additional friction at the border. However, the Federation of Small Businesses has estimated that just one in four smaller companies is actually prepared for the changes that are about to happen. Is she aware of that particular issue? If she is, what action is she taking in the short time that remains?

My right hon. Friend makes an important point. The Government and HMRC have taken significant action to ensure that hauliers and carriers are ready. HMRC has weekly meetings with strategic operators. It has conducted webinars for well over 1,000 haulage businesses and it sends monthly emails to more than 14,000 hauliers on the next steps. I appreciate that it might be that big businesses are more ready than small businesses, but we have done work there as well. I am very pleased to have met the Federation of Small Businesses about two weeks ago to discuss these issues.

My right hon. Friend makes an important point. The Government and HMRC have taken significant action to ensure that hauliers and carriers are ready. HMRC has weekly meetings with strategic operators. It has conducted webinars for well over 1,000 haulage businesses and it sends monthly emails to more than 14,000 hauliers on the next steps. I appreciate that it might be that big businesses are more ready than small businesses, but we have done work there as well. I am very pleased to have met the Federation of Small Businesses about two weeks ago to discuss these issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many HMRC staff have been based at each coastal port between Bristol and Worthing, inclusive, (a) by each port and (b) in total in each year since 2015; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many HMRC staff have been based at each coastal port between Bristol and Worthing, inclusive, (a) by each port and (b) in total in each year since 2015; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many physical inspections to check for contraband goods took place at each port between Bristol and Worthing inclusive (a) by each port and (b) in total in each year since 2015; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many physical inspections to check for contraband goods took place at each port between Bristol and Worthing inclusive (a) by each port and (b) in total in each year since 2015; and if she will make a statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the impact of the construction of additional border infrastructure on the functioning of UK ports in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2021.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the impact of the construction of additional border infrastructure on the functioning of UK ports in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2021.

Further to the Written Ministerial Statement made by my Right Honorable Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport (Grant Shapps) on Friday 26 November, which I repeated, I am today making a further Written Ministerial Statement to make a minor correction to the fourth paragraph. This statement has already been...

Further to the Written Ministerial Statement made by my Right Honorable Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport (Grant Shapps) on Friday 26 November, which I repeated, I am today making a further Written Ministerial Statement to make a minor correction to the fourth paragraph. This statement has already been...