UK hauliers and border friction

That this House notes with deep concern that post-Brexit trading arrangements have placed severe strain on the UK haulage sector, with the number of haulage companies entering insolvency nearly doubling between 2016–2020 and 2021–2025; regrets the Government’s failure to adequately support the sector in adapting to these conditions; further notes that the full enforcement of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) will impose additional administrative and operational burdens at the border, with hauliers already struggling to adapt; acknowledges industry warnings that up to 80% of operators expect a decline in business and that the economic impact could reach as high as £400 million; expresses grave concern that failure to act will have a catastrophic impact on haulage firms, disrupt UK supply chains, and drive up the cost of food and goods for households already facing sustained cost of living pressures; also notes that the Government has failed to set out sufficient support for hauliers ahead of EES implementation; urges the Government to immediately secure an agreement with the European Union to allow British HGV drivers to register biometric details away from the border, reducing friction and delays; and calls on Ministers to begin negotiations with European partners on a new, bespoke UK–EU customs union, recognising this as the single biggest lever available to boost business, deliver growth, and slash unnecessary Brexit bureaucracy.