Speeches by Maynard.

“When we have this massive dropout of small traders who are no longer trading with the European Union, why do you think that is?”

“I am talking trade here and why so many traders in the UK have given up trading with the European Union. I would posit that it is because it has become much harder. Bureaucracy is much worse. Do you agree that bureaucracy is much worse? I think you do, yes?”

“If I may, what have we gained?”

“Lord Sedwill, a lot of this is about where the UK goes, taking a medium to long-term aspect rather than a short-term one. Your point about monopolies is very well taken. If we are looking to mitigate, manage or even contest those sorts of risks, and we want to push UK ideas, policy, security and economy, are we better …”

“In the medium to long term?”

“Okay, but just to answer that one on the long term—and I take your point about medium and short—in order to have the UK’s strength maximised, where are we better off? I am interested to hear your thoughts.”

“That was not my question, Ms Bell; the question I asked Mr Cummins was, do you think our economy will grow faster if we are inside the single market and customs union, and moving much faster towards Europe even before that, or not?”

“I am actually going to go back to my earlier question, if that is all right. You mentioned that sectors are really struggling, and a couple of weeks ago goods exports and manufacturing were down by, I think, 11% in the last eight years, or something like that, which is resulting in a lot of people losing their jobs. Ta…”

“Which bits of trade are inside your remit? What are you going to be doing as a council on trade?”

“Services have done okay, but goods are being hammered. I am worried about all those manufacturing companies in the UK that are being smacked by being cut off from key markets, and what we are going to do about it. I am worried because it seems that trade is not part of your remit or otherwise.”

“Do you think it would be a good idea if trade was included in your remit?”

“Trade is about international and domestic supply chains. Are trade and our relationship with our trading partners—what is and is not working—inside or outside the scope of the industrial strategy council?”

“It is an industrial strategy council, and we understand that tax is outside its remit. I just asked about the single market and customs union, and you said that that was not something you were going to give a view on. What aspects of trade are inside or outside the remit of the council?”

“Really?”

“Good afternoon, and thank you for being here. Focusing on productivity and growth, which is why the council has been set up, and on the economics rather than the politics if possible, what would it do for UK economic growth if we were inside the customs union and single market?”

“You do not have to answer the question if you do not want to, and I take your point completely that there is politics—I get that—but if we were inside the single market and the customs union, would our economy grow faster or not?”

“Constituents in Witney were extremely distressed to receive letters this week from Thames Water saying that their bills are going up by £19 a month from April, putting more pressure on household bills. Does the Minister think that is acceptable, given that the restructuring plan in the High Court is putting £800 millio…”

“I am going to read you the market shares that I understand—just Google stuff. On festivals, back in 2018 you had more than a quarter of the market share in the UK; for venues, it was 46% of the top 61 venue box offices in the UK. Does that sound unlikely, likely, or roughly on target?”

“I was very impressed to see the CMA’s announcement on 22 February of the investigation into Google and Apple. I was concerned to see the chair depart very quickly two days later. I was surprised to see the choice of an ex-Amazon UK boss as the new chair of the CMA. I have a whole load of examples of what the public and…”

“The CMA is about promoting and ensuring the proper working of open, fair competition. If you appoint somebody who was in charge of a company that has very strong, maybe dominant, market shares in the UK, yes, you might say the messaging is pro-growth, but if we are going to grow our country, it is about innovation, and…”