Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in his Department who were transferred or seconded to work (a) in other departments or (b) on other departmental briefs on preparations for the UK to leave the EU, have since returned to his Department.

The Department has not historically collected information about the nature of work of members of staff on loan, transfer or secondment.

Of the information that is available, as at 30th April 2019, there were 5 or fewer staff from the Department for Transport on active loan to the Department for Exiting the European Union who have since returned. However, the Department is unable to confirm the exact nature of work carried out.

Due to the small number of instances, the exact figure is being withheld, as releasing this could lead to identification of individuals.

To prepare for the UK to leave the EU, the Department has reviewed and reprioritised workforce plans. This includes identification and cessation of non-priority work where appropriate. These plans have remained flexible to respond to the resourcing needs for the Department as this has changed over time.

The Department is not able to provide a figure on how many people within DfT have changed role, or the nature of how their work has changed, as a result of the Department’s preparations to leave the EU because this is not recorded in any HR systems.