Bid to ditch ‘redundant’ state aid rules

UK BUSINESS Secretary Alok Sharma announced yesterday that he would be tabling secondary legislation to remove “redundant” EU state aid rules from the UK statute book.

In a Commons written statement, he said that from January 1 the UK would follow World Trade Organisation rules and Parliament alone would have the power to regulate subsidies for business.

The Bill, tabled in the Commons, states “special regard” must be given to Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market and there should be no new checks on goods moving from Northern Ireland to Britain.

It gives ministers the power to modify or “disapply” rules that come into force from the start of next year if the UK and the EU are unable to come to alternative arrangements.