Extracts from an article by Jim Armitage, city editor for The Evening Standard.
“The International Trade department is shelling out £2.6 million for Deloitte to run a pre-Brexit crash course for mandarins in international commercial disputes.
Deloitte will be training the 100 investigations staff manning the new Trade Remedies Authority, which will probe unfair trade practices such as the “dumping” of goods on this country that might harm British industry.
Currently, the TRA’s work is done by the European Commission, but the Government has had to set up its own duplicate version due to Brexit.
The TRA will investigate unfair practices and recommend actions such as imposing tariffs. MPs have voiced concerns it will become politicised if not kept adequately independent.
Under the contract reported by tenders research group Tussell, Deloitte has to train up the new department’s staff quickly, “to enable the TRA to be operational in time for the UK’s exit from the EU.”
Read the full article on The Evening Standard website.
