Ensure no GB barriers on trade, say NI businesses

THE new Secretary of State Brandon Lewis has been urged to ensure the government honours its promise to avoid barriers to trade to and from Great Britain following Brexit.

Business leaders said Mr Lewis was inheriting the post at a critical time for Northern Ireland.

Stephen Kelly, the chief executive of Manufacturing NI, urged Mr Lewis to ensure the Assembly and Executive were sustainable by delivering on the financial commitments made by the UK Government in the New Decade, New Approach deal.

He said the government needed to prevent barriers to trade and ensure that the apprenticeship levy scheme for NI was operated correctly.

While all employers with a pay bill of over £3m a year are obliged to pay the levy, Northern Ireland has still not been able to access the funding raised since the levy was introduced in 2017.

Aodhan Connolly, director of the NI Retail Consortium, said Mr Lewis had “big shoes to fill” after succeeding Julian Smith.

“He needs to very quickly take up the mantle of presenting the concerns of Northern Ireland business to the Cabinet and No.10, especially on leaving the European Union.

“To do that he needs to engage with the NI business community on a regular basis and spend the time to understand us.

“In a very short period of time he needs to garner a holistic view of our economy from industries to households and how they will be affected by decisions in Westminster and Europe.”