Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) the number, and (2) the cost, of (a) those directly employed by, and (b) those hired as consultants by, the Department for International Trade to work on matters related to Brexit, has increased since the Brexit referendum; and if so, by how much.

Leaving the European Union is an all-of-government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is doing detailed work with departments to prepare for the upcoming negotiations by understanding the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU and coordinating planning.

The Department for International Trade was established to secure UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment and championing free trade.

Given the interactions between EU exit work and the Department’s other priorities, it would not be possible to give a specific figure.