Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many official visits he has made to the Port of Dover since July 2018.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The former Secretary of State did not visit the Port of Dover. Ministers in the Department for Exiting the EU with responsibility for ports visited the Port of Dover twice this year. Former Minister Suella Braverman on the 14th May and Chris Heaton-Harris on the 24th August.
DExEU ministers have visited 19 ports to date as part of a wider programme of engagement carried out by other Government ministers and officials to ports around the United Kingdom. Ministers from across Government have also carried out extensive engagement on EU exit with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy, including ports and the maritime industry, and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many civil servants his Department has employed in each month since July 2016.
Answered by Suella Braverman
All departments are equipping themselves with the resources they need to get the best deal for the UK. The Department for Exiting the European Union now has over 650 staff based in the UK plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels. We regularly review headcount to ensure we are appropriately staffed to deal with all aspects of the negotiations.
The Department is continuing to recruit the brightest and the best and we are not providing a running commentary as recruitment is ongoing and numbers are regularly changing.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what meetings the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, the hon. Member for Wycombe, has had with Shanker Singham since June 2017; and what the purpose of those meetings was.
Answered by Robin Walker
All meetings on official business are declared in the transparency returns and can be found on the GOV.UK page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-exiting-the-european-union&publication_type=transparency-data.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many times the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, the hon. Member for Wycombe, has met with Shanker Singham since June 2017.
Answered by Robin Walker
All meetings on official business are declared in the transparency returns and can be found on the GOV.UK page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-exiting-the-european-union&publication_type=transparency-data.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will publish a list of meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers of his Department and (c) officials of his Department have had with Shanker Singham since July 2016.
Answered by Robin Walker
All meetings on official business are declared in the transparency returns and can be found on the GOV.UK page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-exiting-the-european-union&publication_type=transparency-data.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Permanent-Secretary of his Department has had discussions with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, the hon. Member for Wycombe, on meetings the latter has had with Shanker Singham since June 2017.
Answered by Robin Walker
All meetings on official business are declared in the transparency returns and can be found on the GOV.UK page: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments%5B%5D=department-for-exiting-the-european-union&publication_type=transparency-data.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, which consultancy firms his Department has commissioned to model future customs arrangements with the European Union; and what the value of those contracts were.
Answered by Suella Braverman
We have commissioned external expertise to support the work of the Department, including consultancy firms.
The Department aligns with the Government Commercial Function's values in delivering procurements in a fair and open manner.
In assessing the options for the UK's future customs relationship with the EU, the Government will be guided by what delivers the greatest economic advantage to the UK and by our strategic objectives:
To keep trade with the EU as frictionless as possible;
To avoid a ‘hard border’ between Ireland and Northern Ireland;
To establish an independent international trade policy.
The Government is undertaking a wide range of continuing analysis in support of our EU exit negotiations and preparations.
We have been clear the Government will not provide an ongoing commentary on internal analytical work that is being carried out within government.
Details of Government contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many official visits he has made to Northern Ireland since June 2017.
Answered by Suella Braverman
Avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland is a key priority for the UK Government and we remain firmly committed to that objective.
The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union visited Northern Ireland in September 2016 meeting with the then Northern Ireland Executive and stakeholders including NI Screen and SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland). Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Robin Walker MP, visited Northern Ireland with former Northern Ireland Office Minister Chloe Smith in September 2017, visiting the border and meeting with Re-Gen waste and InterTradeIreland.
Northern Ireland Office Ministers have also conducted an extensive programme of engagement in Northern Ireland on EU exit with a wide range of stakeholders.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse for Departmental Christmas (a) cards, (b) postage, (c) parties and (d) decorations and trees in 2017.
Answered by Steve Baker
Expenditure for Christmas items such as those listed is taken from locally managed budgets, which are approved by delegated budget holders. All budget holders are reminded of the need to ensure value for money for the taxpayer before committing to any purchase.
Asked by: Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, What estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse for Departmental paper in (a) 2016-17 and (b) 2017-18.
Answered by Steve Baker
We do not hold this information centrally. The Department occupies space in a number of OGD buildings and the way paper is procured varies depending on the building. Wherever possible, Directorates are encouraged to use the centrally managed departmental contract for procuring all stationery, including paper when not supplied as part of the accommodation agreement.