Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral contribution by the hon. Member for Cardiff South and Penarth on 8 January 2018, how many of the 5,000 new customs officials have been recruited.

Additional staffing required by HMRC following exit from the European Union will depend on the final outcome of the negotiations. HMRC are looking at all resourcing options including redeployment of existing staff and use of existing reserve lists to fill additional posts before recruiting externally.