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Trade Barriers

Asked by Andrew GriffithConservativeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 12 January 2026UIN 103468

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what performance indicators his Department uses to measure progress in reducing regulatory and administrative trade barriers.

Answered by Chris Bryant

Performance indicators the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) uses for market access are barriers reported, barriers resolved, and the potential value of opportunities associated with barriers resolved. During the financial year 2024-25, 394 barriers were reported and 129 barriers were fully resolved. The aggregate valuation of these fully resolved barriers is estimated to be worth around £10 billion to UK businesses over five years. These statistics exclude partially resolved barriers and barriers that were resolved as part of UK Free Trade Agreements with other countries. Performance indicators can be found in official statistics here and annually in the DBT Annual Report and Accounts.

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