Government has waited ‘too long’ to publish ‘no deal’ Brexit papers

The Government has “waited too long” to tell businesses what will happen in the aftermath of a “no deal” Brexit, according to East Midlands business leaders.

The news comes as the Government is due to begin publishing technical notices today (23 August) setting out contingency plans for a “no-deal” Brexit.

The Department for Exiting the European Union is expected to publish 84 explanatory documents before the end of September.

They will cover issues ranging from financial services, company law and climate change to specific problems such as travelling abroad with pets.

Scott Knowles, chief executive at East Midlands Chamber, which has been urging Government to be give businesses more clarity over Brexit since the referendum, said: “We have waited far too long for answers to basic questions around Brexit. Preparations for a ‘no deal’ scenario should have happened long before now.

“The onus is now on Government to move quickly to give businesses as much detailed technical information as possible to avoid significant disruption in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

“Our test for the Government’s notices is straightforward: will firms have the knowledge they need to continue to conduct business, both in the UK and across international borders, beyond 30 March 2019?

“Companies need to know how the UK Government will handle customs and VAT procedures at the border on day one after Brexit. They need to know what the immigration rules will be and what they need to do to ensure that contracts remain valid, that transactions are processed and their rights are protected.

“Along with the British Chambers of Commerce, we will be assessing the content of these notices with businesses and will not hesitate to tell ministers if we find the content unclear or unhelpful.”