Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of any decrease in its staffing on its ability to carry out its remit.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) inherited a Spending Review 2015 settlement that requires it to generate efficiencies in its services. The Department is prioritising its work, monitoring staffing and capability and will ensure it can fulfil its responsibilities. DIT will continue to work with the Treasury as it does this.

During the last year the Department has continued to build organisational capability and capacity and has recruited over 900 people from across the Civil Service and externally.