5 Accepted in Part

The Government should establish a completely overarching one-stop shop for NI SMEs trading in goods...

Recommendation
The Government should establish a completely overarching one-stop shop for NI SMEs trading in goods and services. This facility should bring together support on accessing innovation funding, trading East-West, North-South and more widely in the EU, as well as wider business support to enable businesses to invest and grow. The Government must clarify when in the next financial year this one stop shop will be open for business. (Recommendation, Paragraph 34)
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the recommendation and is committed to delivering an enhanced 'One Stop Shop' regulatory support service, backed by £16.6 million, which is expected to go live within this financial year, as scheduled.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government Accepted in Part
As set out above, we welcome the Committee’s recommendation and are fully committed to helping Northern Ireland SMEs maximise their unique dual market access to both the UK and EU markets. Backed by the £16.6 million funding announced in Budget 2025, which became available from April 2026, work is well underway to deliver an enhanced ‘One Stop Shop’ (OSS) regulatory support service that goes beyond existing GOV.UK provisions. This service will provide tailored advice for East-West trade, assist small businesses engaging with online marketplaces, and look to integrate with wider Government support. The Government continues to make steady progress on the design and development of the OSS, and we expect the service to go live within this financial year, as scheduled.
Addressee Bodies
Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Office
Timeline
Recommendation age 0.4 yrs
Report published 23 Mar 2026