To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2021 to Question 38259 on Taxation: Import Duties, what recent assessment he has made of the range and prevalence of disbursement charges by delivery companies paying import duties liable on imported purchases; and what steps the Government is taking to support consumer choice in paying those charges.
Answered on
23 September 2021
Where international traders trade in or target their activities at the UK, they are generally subject to UK consumer protection law and consumers are able to rely on a strong set of consumer rights. The UK Government does not hold information on the commercial arrangements of international couriers or international retailers. The Government is seeking to enhance global cooperation on consumer protection, through our trade policy and the Competition and Markets Authority’s work in international fora.