The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how much his Department has spent to date on legal advice; and how much he estimates will be so spent during 2016-17.
Mr David Jones
The Department has been billed for £12,711 in relation to legal fees since it was established. Detailed work is underway to establish the Department’s future budget requirements, including for legal advice.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to review the tariffs imposed on cane sugar imports in the course of negotiations on exiting the EU; and if she will make a statement.
George Eustice
We are preparing for negotiations to exit the EU. As part of these preparations, we will consider future trading relationships with both the EU and internationally. Tariffs on agricultural commodities, such as the level of sugar tariffs, will be one element of this work.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential cost to (a) the aerospace industry, (b) the car manufacturing industry and (c) other manufacturing in the UK of not having access to the EU Single Market.
Mr Nick Hurd
There are a number of factors that the Government will need to consider when developing our strategy for negotiating our withdrawal from the European Union. The Department is working closely with businesses to understand their concerns and I will be working with colleagues across government to make sure we understand all of the potential risks and opportunities across the economy. This will continue to inform our approach as we seek to shape our future relationship with Europe.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his policy is on future British involvement in the European Organization for Nuclear Research and the CERN research facility.
Joseph Johnson
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the European Space Agency (ESA) are separate organisations from the European Union and thus the UK’s memberships of CERN or ESA are not dependent on its EU membership. The UK will continue to play a leading role in major non-EU research collaborations, including CERN and ESA. In July we confirmed the UK’s application to become a full member of a major new particle accelerator, the European Spallation Source in Sweden.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the potential costs to the (a) financial sector, (b) legal services sector and (c) professional services sector of not having access to the EU Single Market.
Mr David Jones
The government is keenly aware of the importance of these sectors to the economy. The new department is undertaking a great deal of factual and detailed work to establish how best to deliver the government’s objectives, to ensure that we achieve the best possible outcome for the British people.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how much his Department has spent on consultancy and legal fees since it was established.
Mr David Jones
The Department has been billed for £12,711 in relation to legal fees since it was established. There has been no spend on consultancy fees during this period.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many staff will be employed by his Department with the remit of renegotiating trading agreements with the EU.
Mr David Jones
Britain has been at the forefront of the free trade-supporting countries in the EU for the last 40 years. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and skill mix, are now under consideration. We will have the right resources in place so we can secure the best possible outcome for the UK as a whole.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the recruitment process is for employing an official from another government department in a new role in his Department.
Mr David Jones
The new Department for Exiting the European Union will be made up of staff from various departments across Government, including from the UK’s Permanent Representation to the EU. The department has already started drawing together expertise from a wide range of departments where there is specific relevant knowledge. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are now being considered – the department now has over 180 staff.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many officials from (a) the Foreign Office and (b) HM Treasury have (i) moved and (ii) are planning to move to work in his Department.
Mr David Jones
The new Department for Exiting the European Union will be made up of staff from various departments across Government, including from the UK’s Permanent Representation to the EU. The department has already started drawing together expertise from a wide range of departments where there is specific relevant knowledge. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are now being considered – the department now has over 180 staff.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Deidre Brock on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps he plans to take during negotiations on leaving the EU to seek continued UK participation in the European Research Council after the UK leaves the EU.
Mr David Jones
The Department is leading the UK’s negotiations to leave the European Union and establish the future relationship between the EU and the UK. We need a UK approach and clear objectives for negotiations. The process for leaving the EU and determining our future relationship will clearly not be brief or straightforward, so we need to take time to think through our objectives and approach.
The Government will ensure that the UK remains a world leader in international research collaboration, and will expect close collaboration between the UK and the EU in science to continue. UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds while we remain a member of the EU. The Government will work with the European Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded, and will underwrite the payment of such awards even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.