Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps is his Department taking to maintain capacity for effective diplomatic relations with EU27 countries after the UK leaves the EU.

Maintaining relations with the EU and bilaterally with EU Member States when we leave is a priority. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) network of Posts are the Government's primary tool to influence and engage EU Member States and will play a key role in our future relations with Europe. Staffing levels are kept under constant review to help deliver the Government's objectives and ensure the FCO is adequately resourced. This includes ongoing planning to deploy additional resource across the UK Representation to the EU, the 27 EU Posts and within the UK.