Trade NI Leads Major Business Delegation to Westminster to Champion Northern Ireland's Economy

Increasing expenses and boosting economic action in Northern Ireland will take centre stage when Trade NI heads a substantial business group to Westminster on Wednesday.

The coalition, comprising Manufacturing NI, Retail NI, and Hospitality Ulster, plans to gather approximately 200 influential figures from business leadership, politics, and policymaking at the House of Commons' Terrace Pavilion later today.

Speakers anticipated to participate include UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, and Trade NI has committed to advocating for a reduction in regulatory burdens on businesses along with fostering a more supportive economic climate for Northern Ireland.

The upcoming talks are likely to cover the recent increase in national insurance contributions as well as the elevated VAT rate affecting the hospitality sector.

The business coalition stated they would advocate for increased funding in skill development. They also highlighted issues concerning the apprenticeship levy and how the broader UK immigration system fails to address the requirements of the regional economy.

In a combined announcement, the leaders of Trade NI stated: "Although it's tempting to fixate on constant reports regarding tariffs and trade agreements, we should maintain our concentration on Northern Ireland. We need to collaboratively enhance productivity, lessen business regulations, boost skill levels, tackle VAT challenges, and achieve higher output."

We can achieve this only if we have robust economic tools at our disposal—some of these are within the power of lawmakers in Parliament and civil servants in Whitehall.

Our lobby event in Westminster provides an essential platform to address the primary issues facing the business community with national policymakers and assist them in grasping the necessities for Northern Ireland. Additionally, this serves to highlight Northern Ireland as an excellent destination for establishing or expanding a business.

The statement went on: "Naturally, we aren't shielded from global developments; however, we must continue to highlight our region and demonstrate how it is well-positioned for seizing new growth opportunities."

We possess some of the finest talents, top-notch services, and superior products on the world market, yet enhancing our responsiveness is crucial if we aim to reach our full economic capability.