Login

Enter search criteria

Jacob Rees-Mogg hails UK digital border plans as example of increased government efficiency

19 August, 2022
Posted by: Phillip Adnett
Trade News

This article was published before we became the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade on 10 July 2024, and this is reflected in references to our old brand and name. For more information about us becoming Chartered, visit our dedicated webpage on the change here.

Jacob Rees Mogg hails UK border

Jacob Rees-Mogg MP has pinpointed the UK’s border strategy plan as an example of efficient government – as he calls for a radical re-imagining of the role of the state post-Brexit.

In an article for The Telegraph, Rees-Mogg highlighted the UK’s border strategy as an example of how the UK government can reduce waste and inefficiency, with the end goal of bringing down inflation via tax cuts.

More broadly, he called for a reduction in the role of government beyond tax cuts, as reported by The Independent.

‘Efficiency eases inflation’

The North East Somerset MP wrote:

“The trade border is one example of how government efficiency eases inflation.

“In the spring, thanks to the support of the prime minister and Liz Truss, the government suspended the expensive physical checks on incoming goods from the European Union to address the rising cost of food.

“As well as saving officials at the border time and resources, this measure has also saved businesses in the wider economy at least £1 billion in avoided costs, preventing shortages of goods and delays in already strained supply chains.”

Single Trade Window

The Brexit opportunities minister also said that the freedom given to the UK by leaving the EU was crucial in allowing tariff reduction and trade digitisation.

“Thanks to the freedoms outside the EU we are going further by cutting tariffs and digitising our trade border with the Single Trade Window next year, which will help businesses trade across our border seamlessly, cutting costs and reducing inflation,” he wrote.

Consultation

The UK government launched a consultation on the Single Trade Window last month (21 July), asking the entire supply chain to respond.

The consultation was referenced at the IOE&IT’s MemberCon22 conference on 12 July, with the government expected to publish its Target Operating Model (TOM) in the autumn.

The IOE&IT is running a free one-hour webinar at 1pm on Monday 22 August, giving traders an update on how the Target Operating Model is evolving and how they can input on the planned changes: register here to attend.