Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Prime Minister, what direction he has given and to which Departments on the UK's future relationship with the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

The Government is undertaking extensive preparations in advance of the next phase of negotiations with the EU. The Political Declaration sets out firm commitments to achieve a comprehensive free trade agreement and take back control of our laws, borders, money and trade.

The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union is leading preparations for our Future Relationship negotiations across Government, on my behalf. The Department for Exiting the European Union works closely with colleagues in No10, my Europe Adviser, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UKRep in Brussels and key Whitehall Departments such as the Department for International Trade, HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in that work. This includes working closely with all departments to put in place appropriate governance structures and to build further our capacity and capability, in order to start negotiating the future relationship as soon as possible after we leave.