Baroness Neville-Rolfe speech at Import Export Show
Speech delivered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, at the Import Export Show on 15 November 2023.

Good morning, everyone, it鈥檚 a pleasure to be here with you all today鈥�
鈥nd may I thank the Institute of Export for organising this: their inaugural Import Export Show.
We should be encouraging forums like this鈥�
鈥orums where businesses can openly discuss the opportunities and the challenges of trading in the 21st Century.
As the Prime Minister has said, we are determined to take the long term decisions needed to change this country for the better.
The Government has been clear that we want the UK to have the most effective border in the world鈥�
鈥nd recently, the UK was presented with an opportunity to improve our borders鈥�
鈥hich resulted from two simultaneous events 鈥� Brexit and the rise of innovative technology.
Leaving the European Union presented us with an opportunity to scrutinise our entire trading system鈥�
鈥ot just how we organised trade deals, but the practicalities of that trading.
We wanted to design a system that was as minimally burdensome as possible without compromising our security.聽
At the same time, the computer systems and software we used for shipping and trading could be improved by emerging technology鈥�
鈥ll positive changes which could make trading smoother and more straightforward.
We are seizing this joint opportunity to improve everything about borders鈥�
鈥ot just what comes through them, but how those goods enter and leave our shores.
Of course this is just as much about building on what works already, as it is introducing innovations.
Just look at the last twelve months, we鈥檝e traded four-hundred-and-thirty-two-billion pounds worth of goods鈥�
鈥hat鈥檚 more than ever before.
At the same time, any innovation we bring to our borders must recognise just how complex an operation the borders are鈥�
鈥ozens of Government departments are involved鈥�
鈥here鈥檚 over one hundred inspection points鈥�
鈥housands employed to keep the border safe鈥�
鈥nd tens of thousands more throughout the supply chain.
There are conflicting considerations鈥�
鈥ut we know that we must have a system that both encourages the free-flow of trade鈥�
鈥nd provides security from smuggling, weapons, drugs and plant and animal diseases.
I believe that we have struck that balance in our Border Target Operating Model.
It鈥檚 an integral part of the Government鈥檚 2025 Border Strategy鈥�
鈥nd it is this Model which will make a lot of the aspirations in that Strategy a reality.
It both adheres to the Windsor Framework 鈥� ensuring that Northern Ireland benefits from the same VAT and duty rates as the rest of the UK鈥�
鈥nd it builds on Brexit freedoms to make trading more straightforward than ever before.
The new Model will use new technology to reduce paperwork for UK importers, saving businesses over five-hundred-million pounds a year鈥�
鈥t will introduce a new global regime for security and biosecurity鈥�
鈥s well as bring practical changes to the way trade is managed through our borders for the benefit of businesses and customers.
First, I will focus on safety.
We have all seen and heard the horror stories of when trade comes with some unforeseen risks attached to it.
Right now, many countries are dealing with the fall out of African Swine Fever鈥�
鈥hich is a blight not only on livestock but the livelihood of the international agricultural sector.
I witnessed with horror the foot and mouth outbreak at the turn of the century. That cannot be allowed to happen ever again.
But how do you police these risks?
Well, we want to support global trade and have one set of regulations for businesses importing into the UK鈥�
鈥hether or not they鈥檙e from the European Union.
That鈥檚 why the Operating Model includes a new global risk-based model.
It focuses on what food and plant goods are actually at risk 鈥� what kind of products they are, and where the risk is geographically located鈥�
鈥nd assigns them a risk factor.
This replaces the old model of subjecting some products to costly, rigorous controls and checks that were overburdensome relative to their risk.
We will also be trialling an ambitious 鈥榯rusted trader鈥� scheme for animal and plant products鈥�
鈥here specific traders will provide guarantees and 鈥� through greater access to new data and technology 鈥� this will help form trusted relationships鈥�
鈥ll decreasing the burden on individual traders.
Our safety checks will not significantly hinder trade, nor will they add to inflation鈥�
鈥n fact, our current modelling shows that the new Operating Model would have a negligible impact on food prices.
But what would have an impact is a major disease affecting our food and vegetables鈥�
鈥 mentioned foot and mouth earlier 鈥� if that occurred today, it would have an impact of over thirteen-billion pounds.
That鈥檚 a cost we cannot take, and it鈥檚 a cost which our Operating Model will help avoid.
The second part of this work is being more strategic 鈥� using technology and new ways of working to streamline trade鈥�
鈥nd ensure that when goods are imported, that they are handled in an efficient way.
Technology is the foundation that the Operating Model is built on鈥�
鈥nd we鈥檒l be using new tech to reduce the volume of paperwork for UK importers.
We have partnered with industry to test the whole border process鈥�
鈥o see how we can use technology to cut costs and save time.
Whether that鈥檚 using ledger technology to ensure that everyone 鈥� from trader to border staff 鈥� are quite literally on the same page鈥�
鈥r using GPS trackers on goods to ensure that anything lost becomes found.
We are also addressing the fundamentals of trade鈥�
鈥s the new operating model will not only introduce new routes into Liverpool ports鈥�
鈥ut also help resolve delays in goods travelling through Heathrow.
We are also solving one of the most long-standing complaints that new traders have鈥�
鈥hat when they apply for licences or submit other trade data to the government, the system can be multifaceted, repetitive and, frankly, confusing.
That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e introducing the new UK Single Trade Window.
When fully operational, it will provide one digital gateway for users鈥�
鈥ne where they can provide all the data needed to trade, as well as apply for licences and authorisations for trusted trader schemes.
All of the changes I鈥檝e described today will be introduced steadily throughout 2024.
It will begin at the end of January鈥�
鈥ith the introduction of health certification on imports of medium risk animal products鈥�
鈥s well as plants, plant products鈥�
鈥nd high risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the European Union.
By the end of April, imports of sanitary and phytosanitary products from the rest of the world will benefit from the new risk based model.
And, by the end of October, safety and security declarations for EU imports will come in to force鈥�
鈥s well as introducing a reduced need for data for imports.
Ladies and gentlemen, these are significant positive changes鈥�
鈥nd I believe we can look forward to this future with great confidence.
The Government wants nothing less than the most effective border in the world鈥�
鈥ne which embraces innovation to keep citizens and businesses healthy and robust.
I believe we can bring major benefits to our trading communities so well represented here today鈥�
鈥nd I look forward to working with you all to increase UK trade throughout the world.
Thank you very much.