The government has issued a bleak warning over a no-deal Brexit, estimating the UK economy could be 9% weaker in the long run, businesses in Northern Ireland might go bust and food prices will increase.
In an official document only published after repeated demands by the former Conservative MP Anna Soubry, the government also revealed it was behind on contingency planning for a third of ācritical projectsā in relation to business and trade.
The latest no-deal notice states that:
- The economy would be 6%-9% smaller over the next 15 years than it otherwise might have been, in the event of no deal, in line with Bank of England forecasts.
- The flow of goods through Dover would be āvery significantly reduced for monthsā.
- With 30% of food coming from the EU, prices are likely to increase and there is a risk that panic buying might create shortages.
- Only six of the 40 planned international trade agreements have been signed.
Only 40,000 of 240,000 businesses which had no experience of customs or tariffs had registered for an economic operator registration and identification number.
The government said that while it might wave hauliers through British ports, āthey would be stopped if taking goods into France without the right paperworkā. This amounts to the most robust rebuttal yet of Brexiter claims that there would be no delays because the British would be taking a loose approach to checks and controls.
Evidence suggested the public had not been heeding no-deal warnings either, with no ānoticeable behaviour changeā witnessed on a āsignificant scaleā over the need to renew passports, and get international driving permits and green cards for insurance for driving in the EU, it said.
The EU, which would treat the UK as a third country in the event of no deal, could impose tariffs of 70% on beef exports, 45% on lamb and 10% on cars, it said.
āThis would be compounded by the challenges of even modest reductions in flow at the border.ā
The impact on the economy would vary across the UK, with Wales and Scotland contracting by about 8%, Northern Ireland 9%, and the north-east of England 10.5%.
But it added: āOverall, the cumulative impact from a no-deal scenario is expected to be more severe in Northern Ireland than in Great Britain, and to last for longer.ā
This was because of expected disruption in the āclosely interwoven supply chains and increasing costs that would affect the viability of many businesses across Northern Ireland. There is a risk that businesses in Northern Ireland will not have sufficient time to prepare. This could result in business failure.ā
Scottish fishing would be badly hit as would Welsh sheep farming, with 92% of its lamb being exported to the EU, confirming the sectorās previous warnings that it could be āwiped outā by no deal.
The notice said the impact on the food and drink sector would be most pronounced in Wales, Scotland and particularly Northern Ireland, where the sector comprises 5.07% of the economy, compared to 1.38% for England.
It said fewer than one in 10 items would be affected by delays on the channel crossings but, because of the timing of a potential no-deal Brexit, supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables could be hit hardest.
āIn the absence of other action from government, some food prices are likely to increase, and there is a risk that consumer behaviour could exacerbate, or create, shortages in this scenario,ā it said.
The government revealed there were significant delays to critical projects being undertaken in preparation for no deal.
āIn February, departments reported being on track for just under 85% of no-deal projects but, within that, on track for just over two thirds of the most critical projects,ā it said.
The document confirmed that the Treasury had made more than Ā£4bn available for no-deal planning, Ā£2bn of which was allocated in December to support preparations for the 2019-20 financial year.
