Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of expertise in respect of competition policy in officials engaged in negotiating the deal between the UK and the EU.

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 is a fast-paced, dynamic Department at the heart of Whitehall leading on one of the biggest issues for this Government. It attracts the brightest and the best from across the Civil Service.

We regularly review headcount to ensure we are appropriately staffed to deal with all aspects of our preparations for leaving the EU. The Department for Exiting the European Union now has over 600 staff based in the UK plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels.

DExEU staff range from policy advisors to lawyers and economists, and have come from a range of backgrounds with experience in vital fields relevant to our exit from the EU, including competition policy.