Institute for Government: Whitehall’s preparation for the UK’s exit from the EU
14 December 2016
The report recommends that the Government should provide departments with more detailed information; decide how negotiations will be run and who will be involved; ensure all departments are doing sufficient post-Brexit planning; and set out its priorities.
Theresa May has committed herself to triggering Article 50 before the end of March 2017. Brexit will require efforts from the whole machinery of government. Whitehall will be called upon to:
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Prepare for talks: providing analysis, options and evidence to establish negotiating positions
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Manage the talks: responding to emerging positions and providing policy expertise
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Prepare for day one outside the EU: planning legislation and administration, taking advantage of opportunities, and minimising risks.
There are clear signs of progress in preparations. The Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU) has established itself quickly, putting new teams in place and developing cross-government structures. There is a lot of positive, thoughtful work underway right across government. But we also found uncertainty in departments about what they are required to do before Article 50 is triggered, concerns about capacity, and a lack of preparation for what life will be like outside the European Union. Some of the departments most affected will have to work out how to meet the demands imposed by Brexit with a shrinking budget.
The report recommends that the Government should:
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provide departments with more detailed information on the process they are following, the timelines they are working to, and the expectations of what is required from departments by the point at which Article 50 is triggered.
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decide how negotiations will be run and who will be involved.
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ensure all departments are doing sufficient post-Brexit planning, including on how the opportunities offered by Brexit can be realised.
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set out its priorities, ensuring departments have sufficient staffing and money for Brexit and existing commitments, or acknowledging that current plans must be trimmed.
Full report
© Institute for Government
