London, UK: The relationship with Cabinet minister Michael Gove and the Road Haulage Association took a turn for the worse this week when Gove criticised the Road Haulage Association in the House of Commons for its role in the discussions taking place about the IT systems needed post-Brexit.
Hilary Benn, chair of the Exiting the European Union select committee, asked Gove (pictured above) specifically about the readiness of the IT systems needed for hauliers, namely the Goods Vehicle Movement System (GVMS) and Smart Freight. He asked Gove to clarify his previous comments after he had claimed that the two IT systems were “in operation”. Gove was later contradicted by RHA chief executive Richard Burnett who asserted that the systems were “absolutely not” in operation.
In the Commons exchange Gove responded to Benn. “I’ve found that the Road Haulage Association, valuable organisation though it may be, hasn’t always necessarily been quite the most constructive partner at every stage of the conversations that we’ve needed to have.
“Nevertheless, I think it is the case that we’re having conversations with them and others, to ensure that these systems (GVMS, Smart Freight), and other IT systems that we need for the end of the transition period are in place.”
Burnett hit back at the criticism, saying: “We have been the most constructive partner to the Department for Transport, HMRC and Border and Protocol Delivery Group (BPDG), highlighting issues and gaps continuously in process. We have also suggested many constructive solutions. Mr Gove has chosen to not listen or indeed answer our questions.”
