The Government recognises the pressure high energy costs place on businesses. Our Clean Power by 2030 mission will bring down bills, reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets and the risk of carbon leakage.

In the near term, we are acting through the British Industry Supercharger, increasing network charge discounts from 60% to 90% since April 2026 for energy‑intensive industries. In addition, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will cut electricity costs by up to £40/MWh for over 10,000 firms in key manufacturing sectors, helping align UK prices with European competitors and strengthen competitiveness.

The Department publishes analysis to assess the potential impacts of new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in advance of negotiations. On conclusion of negotiations, the Department publishes full impact assessments. The analysis in these publications covers a number of areas, including the potential impacts on the UK’s regions and nations as well as on sectors, such as manufacturing. I am glad to say that the recently concluded FTA with the GCC aligns closely with our Industrial Strategy and confidently expect it will lead to increased manufacturing exports.

Ahead of the UK-EU Summit in May 2025 we explored several proposals with the EU on manufactured goods. To inform these discussions, the government assessed the potential economic benefits of a range of measures, including the potential impact of mutual recognition agreements for conformity assessment on GDP, manufacturers, and business cost. This assessment indicated such agreements would be mutually beneficial for both the UK and the EU. To protect negotiation-sensitive information the Department will not be publishing this assessment nor its analytical methodology.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has no plans to introduce universal income-based pricing for all regulated utilities or merit goods.

Across both regulated utilities and merit goods, the Government aims to enhance fairness, reduce inequality, and improve affordability while maintaining service quality, financial sustainability, and investor confidence.

The Government seeks to drive up economic growth by extending UK exports. Our export control system seeks to enable responsible and legitimate international trade in military equipment and technology, and in dual-use items. We aim to conclude 70% of standard individual export licence applications within 20 working days and 99% within 60 working days.

In some cases, however, we have to balance the desire for speed with the need for careful and thorough consideration of the application. Some decisions can therefore take longer, especially for destinations or end uses which involve more complex or finely balanced assessments.

We have provided for the application of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to all four parts of the UK, which includes Northern Ireland. CPTPP also takes into account the effects of the Windsor Framework by allowing the United Kingdom to take measures under the Windsor Framework designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and to protect the peace process. Manufacturers and exporters in Northern Ireland will benefit from CPTPP in the same way as exporters in England, Scotland and Wales.

We have provided for the application of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to all four parts of the UK, which includes Northern Ireland. CPTPP also takes into account the effects of the Windsor Framework by allowing the United Kingdom to take measures under the Windsor Framework designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and to protect the peace process. Manufacturers and exporters in Northern Ireland will benefit from CPTPP in the same way as exporters in England, Scotland and Wales.

Based on our engagement with industry, including supermarkets, Defra expects substantial use of the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme, which includes labelling requirements. Some businesses, especially those with a presence in the Republic of Ireland, may choose to use the Red Lane for certain goods, as now.

Defra has been engaging intensively with key industries since the announcement of the Windsor Framework, including supermarkets. There have been weekly calls specifically with retailers since the Windsor Framework was agreed. These have been further supported by individual engagements with retailers and manufacturers over the recent weeks. I also spoke to food retailers on 13 July as part of this engagement.

No goods were returned once they had entered Northern Ireland for customs purposes.

Classification codes (according to the Harmonised System) are available to assist you in accessing published trade statistics data in the UK Trade Tariff. Goods moving from the UK are identified by an eight-digit commodity code. These are publicly available from the UK Trade Tariff at https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff.

Ceramics can be classified under a number of commodity codes depending on the item produced. The classification codes in chapter 69 are used for ceramic products other than porcelain and china. However, there are other Tariff chapters that may also contain ceramic in them.

The value of ceramics exported from the UK since 2019 is available from the above uktradeinfo website. As referenced above, the online data available does not distinguish where the ceramics are manufactured.

The Office for National Statistics do publish statistics on UK manufacturers’ sales by product (latest available 2021), of which Division 23 SIC(07) 2341 to (07)2349 may be of interest. However, these statistics do not differentiate between domestic and export sales.

Labelling requirements will apply to a targeted category of goods, and will take effect in a phased way. These requirements will ensure that the same goods are on the shelves across the whole United Kingdom. This is the right approach to support and safeguard the functioning of the UK internal market. That is why, as noted in the Command Paper, we intend for these labelling requirements to apply UK-wide from October 2024. We will continue to work closely with industry in advance of those changes taking effect.

The FCDO's Manufacturing Africa programme has been facilitating investments in pharmaceutical manufacturing and supported the African Union Centre for Disease Control's "Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing" (PAVM) initiative to increase African based vaccine manufacture. Another project in financial year 2020-21 enabled an increase in the quality and capability of Personal Protective Equipment production in Africa and Asia. The UK also supports manufacturing of health products in Africa and elsewhere through support for global health initiatives such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), the Vaccine Alliance, and Unitaid.

It is correct that goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, including food retail goods, which are intended to stay in Northern Ireland, will travel in sealed consignments to ensure that only internal UK traders are able to move goods without being subject to tariffs.

It is correct that goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, including food retail goods, which are intended to stay in Northern Ireland, will travel in sealed consignments to ensure that only internal UK traders are able to move goods without being subject to tariffs.

The Windsor Framework significantly expands the range of businesses who can benefit from the Green Lane. We are increasing the threshold for processing companies - quadrupling the current £500,000 limit up to £2 million, meaning four-fifths of manufacturing and processing companies in Northern Ireland who trade with Great Britain will automatically be in scope. Even if firms are above that threshold, they will be eligible to move goods under the scheme if they are for use in the animal feed, healthcare, construction and not-for-profit sectors. This includes businesses acting as intermediaries or selling on the eventual product, which is a significant improvement to the existing arrangements. And where traders cannot determine the end destination of their goods when first moving them into Northern Ireland, we will establish a new, comprehensive tariff reimbursement scheme for those who can show the goods were ultimately not destined for the EU.

The Government is unequivocal in its commitment for unfettered access for Northern Ireland goods to the whole United Kingdom market. That means a permanent guarantee of being able to place goods on the UK market in all scenarios - meaning no forms, checks, controls, or tariffs, or any barriers to the market whatsoever, whatever the future form of regulations in Northern Ireland. Those are protections that are enshrined in law and which we will build on further following the Windsor Framework.