Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what further steps his Department plans to take to prepare for the UK leaving the EU on 31 October 2019 without withdrawal agreement.

Leaving the EU without a deal remains the default option on 31 October. As a responsible government, we have been preparing for all EU exit eventualities, including the possibility of no deal, for over two years. In light of the extension that has now been agreed, departments are making sensible decisions about the timing and pace at which some of this work is progressing, but we will continue to prepare for all exit scenarios. When necessary we will continue to update our advice on gov.uk/euexit on how businesses and citizens should prepare.

HM Treasury has allocated over £4.2 billion to prepare for our withdrawal from the EU since 2016, including over £2bn for the 19-20 financial year. This funding will help departments to manage pressures arising from exit preparations, as well as ensuring that the UK is prepared to seize the opportunities available when we leave the EU. The Treasury has also made arrangements to ensure that departments and the Devolved Administrations can fund measures to address civil contingencies in a no deal scenario.