Brexit inquiry to focus on civil nuclear sector

MPs to examine how leaving the EU will impact British business

An influential House of Commons committee will kick-start a wide-ranging investigation into the impact of Brexit on UK industry by focusing on the civil nuclear sector

The BEIS (business, energy and industrial strategy) committee announced today that it has launched an inquiry on the implications of leaving the EU for British business.

It will examine the impact of Brexit on a number of handpicked sectors beginning with civil nuclear, before turning to the aerospace automotive, pharmaceuticals and processed food and drink industries.

The committee has said its probe into the civil nuclear sector will cover the issues thrown up by the UK government’s decision to exit membership of Euratom.

The committee has said it will aim to establish how different sectors’ interests should best be pursued both in the negotiating process and post-Brexit.

The inquiry will cover a range of issues relating to the impact of trading using World Trade Organisation rules, non-tariff barriers, how closely the UK’s new regulatory arrangements should mirror existing EU ones, skills, R&D, trade opportunities and transitional arrangements.

Rachel Reeves, chair of the BEIS committee, said: “Brexit represents the biggest change for British business in the last 40 years. It’s vital that the voices of employers and employees are clearly heard during the negotiating process; and that the government listens. 

“The extent of challenges will vary from sector to sector, but the same issues will need to be addressed. In taking a sector by sector approach, we want to inform public debate about the potential impact of Brexit and ensure that the government is promoting the country’s economic interests across the board as negotiations proceed.”

The deadline for written evidence for the civil nuclear sector leg of the inquiry is 4 October.