Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-09-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many trade negotiators his Department plans to employ by the end of the current fiscal year.

Mr Robin Walker

Britain has been at the forefront of the free trade-supporting countries in the EU for the last 40 years. The Department for Exiting the EU now has over 200 staff plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels, and is growing fast. The overall size and scope of the new Department, including staffing and budget, are regularly reviewed. We will ensure we are appropriately staffed to deal with all aspects of the forthcoming negotiation.