My Lords, I am sure that the supporters of these amendments are motivated only by the desire to enable the devolved Administrations to do the right thing in environmental protection and all the other fine things mentioned in these amendments, though I must say to the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, that I have absolutely no idea what “cultural expression”, as mentioned in Amendment 21, has to do with the internal market.
I appeal to noble Lords to remember that the aim of this Bill is to ensure that the UK’s internal market operates on a frictionless basis and allows businesses to trade in the UK with the minimum of barriers as they do now. This helps businesses in all parts of the UK operate successfully and profitably, which supports the aim I hope we all share of a healthily growing economy. More importantly, it delivers for consumers because trade barriers tend to increase costs and reduce consumer choice.
I have to say that this is not a question of whether a particular regulatory rule will itself increase costs. We can argue all day about whether, say, increasing environmental regulation will increase or reduce costs for consumers. That is not the point; the point is about having different environmental regulations in one part of the United Kingdom compared with other parts and whether that will work in the interests of consumers or against them. The answer to that is clear. If such regulations have the effect of erecting further trade barriers, the consumer takes the hit.
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The absence of trade barriers is also crucially important when the UK comes to negotiate new trade treaties. Our negotiating strength would be seriously undermined if the Government were not able to be clear about how the UK’s own market works internally and how access would work for trade counterparties. International trade is most definitely not a devolved competence, and nor should it be if we want to stand on the world trade stage as a major player. I hope that all noble Lords would align themselves with that aim now that we have left the EU. Schedule 1 contains some significant exclusions from the market access principles. I urge noble Lords not to make exclusions from the internal market so great that, as these amendments have the capacity to do, they kill the infant internal market in its cradle.