The British Retail Consortium (BRC) believes retailers will be heartened that the Government is seeking to “reach out” to UK businesses. 

A host of proposed new laws designed to prepare the UK for a "smooth and orderly" departure from the European Union (EU) were announced in the Queen's Speech yesterday. Of 27 bills, eight relate to Brexit and its implications for key industries, including bills on trade and customers and a promise that “support will be given to help British businesses export to markets around the world”.

Her Majesty added that the bills would “be complemented by legislation to ensure that the United Kingdom makes a success of Brexit”.

Responding initially to the Queen’s speech, BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson OBE said: “In very uncertain times, retailers will be encouraged that the Government is seeking to reach out to business. 

“It’s right to focus on Brexit. The retail industry’s biggest priority is to work alongside the Government to secure a fair Brexit for consumers. This means ensuring that ordinary shoppers aren’t hit with the cost of unwanted new tariffs and the UK is able to build new trading relationships with the rest of the world in the long-term. In particular, we will seek to work with the Government on the new Trade Bill, which will help in the development of international trade relationships and the Immigration Bill. 

“Employers throughout retail must be able to secure their current workforce and fill vacancies in the future. To do this, the Government must secure the rights of EU nationals living and working in the UK at the earliest possible opportunity during the withdrawal negotiations with the EU.”

Looking at the issue of employment, Ms Dickinson said that, while retailers support the introduction of the National Living Wage, they are very clear that any further increase “must be moderate, taking into account broader economic conditions”. Plans to reform the technical skills system were welcomed by the BRC and Ms Dickinson believes it is a step in the right direction towards tackling the UK’s skills shortages.

The BRC is encouraged that he Government is moving ahead with its Industrial Strategy, however, the association raised the important issue of business rates and the impact it is having on the retail landscape. Ms Dickinson added: “At the last General Election, all three political parties committed to fixing the broken business rates system and this has the strong support of the industry. Although this wasn’t a part of the Queen’s speech, it is essential that the Government conducts a full review of the business rates system and puts in place a system for the 21st century that does not pit online against offline or large against small. We will seek to work with the Government to look again at the Business Tax Road Map to ensure fairness and incentivise growth and investment.”