Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the number of offices of transit that will be required for full customs formalities in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal on the 31 of October 2019.

The UK has been invited to accede to the Common Transit Convention (CTC) as a contracting party when it leaves the EU. If the UK is outside the EU customs union it will have to carry out the office of transit function on transit movements entering the UK from the EU and other countries. Many existing UK ports and airports have existing facilities for transit movements, including carrying out the office of transit function. These offices will continue to operate, and HMRC and Border Force are working to ensure they will be able to meet the increased demand that will result from EU exit.

At three high volume locations the UK has agreed a different arrangement with the other parties to the CTC. Under this agreement the office of transit function will not be a physical location, but will be carried out digitally.