[Withdrawn] Department for Exiting the European Union single departmental plan - December 2017
Updated 27 June 2019
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This publication was withdrawn on 23 May 2018
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Our single departmental plan sets out our objectives and how we will achieve them.
Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union
Permanent Secretary
Following the choice made by the people of the United Kingdom on 23 June 2016, Britain is leaving the European Union. The Prime Minister established the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) in July 2016.
The Government has set out that it wants to build a deep and special partnership with the EU. DExEU works to achieve a successful outcome in the negotiations and domestic preparations to ensure the United Kingdom seizes the opportunities and meets the challenges of EU exit.
Our objectives
We will:
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Lead the United Kingdom’s negotiations to leave the EU and establish a deep and special partnership with the EU
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Work with the Devolved Administrations, Parliament, EU Member States and Institutions and a wide range of other interested parties throughout the negotiations.
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Lead and coordinate cross-government work to seize the opportunities and ensure a smooth process of exit, including the required domestic legislation, on the best possible terms
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Continue our work across Whitehall and in Brussels to coordinate European business, exercise our rights and meet our obligations as a member of the EU until we exit
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Attract, develop and retain great people and organise ourselves flexibly to deliver our objectives efficiently and effectively
1. Lead the United Kingdom’s negotiations to leave the EU and establish a deep and special partnership with the EU
Lead minister
The Rt Hon David Davis MP, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union
Lead officials
Philip Rycroft, Head of UK Governance Group and Permanent Secretary
Sir Tim Barrow, KCMG LVO MBE, UK Permanent Representative to the EU
Sarah Healey, Director General
Susannah Storey, Director General
Alex Ellis, Director General
1.1 Coordinate negotiations with the EU
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Deliver the Government’s 12 objectives for the negotiations, that were articulated in the White Paper on: The United Kingdom’s exit from and new partnership with the European Union |
| Undertake strategic planning on the sequencing, phasing and delivery of the negotiations |
| Coordinate the UK delegation for each negotiating round, to support detailed, technical discussions with the EU |
| Publish papers to support the UK’s position in the negotiations |
1.2 Build a Future Economic Partnership
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Negotiate a unique and ambitious economic partnership that allows for the freest possible trade in goods and services |
| Develop an approach that takes advantage of our unique starting position of sharing the same rules and regulations with the EU |
1.3 Build a Future Security Partnership
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Negotiate a bold new strategic security partnership with the EU, to preserve UK and European security, keep our people safe and to secure our values and interests |
| Deliver the vision set out in the future partnership papers on Security, law enforcement and criminal justice and Foreign policy, defence and development |
1.4 Agree an implementation period to allow all involved time to adjust, and to provide certainty
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Negotiate a strictly time-limited implementation period, during which the UK and the EU would continue to have access to one another’s markets on current terms, and the UK would take part in existing security measures |
Our performance
2. Work with the Devolved Administrations, Parliament, EU Member States and Institutions, and a wide range of other interested parties throughout the negotiations
Lead minister
All ministers
Lead officials
Philip Rycroft, Head of UK Governance Group and Permanent Secretary
Sir Tim Barrow, KCMG LVO MBE, UK Permanent Representative to the EU
Sarah Healey, Director General
Alex Ellis, Director General
2.1 Negotiate as one United Kingdom taking due account of the specific interests of every nation and region of the UK, and of the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Ensure that the Devolved Administrations are fully engaged in the UK’s preparations to leave the EU, including through the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations |
| Ensure that the Crown Dependencies, Gibraltar and the other Overseas Territories are fully engaged in the UK’s preparations to leave the EU, including through Joint Ministerial Councils and Chief Ministers’ Meetings on EU Negotiations |
| Work closely with local government and elected mayors throughout the negotiations, to ensure the interests of every region are taken into account |
2.2 Enable parliamentary scrutiny, whilst balancing the need to protect the Government’s negotiating position
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Update Parliament following each negotiation round as part of ensuring it is as least as well informed as the European Parliament |
| Hold a vote on the final deal in Parliament as soon as possible after the negotiations have concluded |
| Meet all obligations to Parliament, including answering all forms of parliamentary questions and supporting debates and select committee inquiries; including by facilitating EU-exit themed debates in Government time |
2.3 Engage with Member States and institutions on the UK’s objectives for the future partnership
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Deliver HMG’s strategic engagement with EU Member States, EU institutions and other key international jurisdictions and organisations |
| Work closely with UKRep, the FCO and other government departments to promote UK objectives |
2.4 Work with a wide range of other interested parties throughout the negotiations
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Undertake extensive engagement with businesses and business groups including through the cross-government Business Advisory Group and the the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council |
| Undertake extensive engagement with civil society and non-governmental organisations |
Our performance
3. Lead and coordinate cross-government work to seize the opportunities and ensure a smooth process of exit, including the required domestic legislation, on the best possible terms
Lead minister
All ministers
Lead officials
Philip Rycroft, Head of UK Governance Group and Permanent Secretary
Sarah Healey, Director General
Susannah Storey, Director General
Alex Ellis, Director General
3.1 Scrutinise policy and delivery planning
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Lead work to develop an integrated picture of the policy changes required across Government to ensure as smooth as possible an exit in a range of scenarios – both negotiated and contingency |
| Maintain a single picture of workstreams, policy proposals and delivery implications across government to inform policy development in each scenario – both negotiated and contingency |
| Scrutinise domestic policy solutions and delivery plans that departments develop, to ensure coherence between plans and with negotiating assumptions |
| Identify delivery implications of the Government’s negotiating strategy |
3.2 Support, monitor and catalyse implementation
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Monitor and support departmental progress toward delivering each exit plan (in each scenario – both negotiated and contingency) and scrutinise priority programmes |
| Recommend cross-cutting resolutions to unblock common or critical issues |
3.3 Develop policy positions on cross-government policy priorities
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Analyse proposals and ensure cross-government consensus can be secured |
| Convene cross-government taskforces and working groups to ensure government develops a single, coherent policy or approach, when appropriate |
3.4 Deliver and coordinate a comprehensive legislative programme on EU exit that will provide certainty for businesses, workers and consumers
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Work with Parliament to pass the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill |
| Oversee all EU Exit-related primary and secondary legislation, working closely with the Cabinet Office |
| Develop the legislation needed to implement the Withdrawal Agreement, including through a new Withdrawal Agreement and Implementation Bill |
3.5 Lead cross-government work on international agreements
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Lead cross-government work to assess the international agreements that will need action as a result of the UK’s exit from the EU |
| Seek continuity and avoid unintended changes with third countries and international organisations |
| Lead engagement with a number of countries on international agreements |
3.6 Lead and coordinate cross-government analysis
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Lead and coordinate a cross-government programme of qualitative and quantitative analysis as we prepare for exit and to inform the UK’s negotiating position |
Our performance
You can read documents, press releases and reports on how the Government is preparing to leave the EU.
4. Continue our work across Whitehall and in Brussels to coordinate European business, exercise our rights and meet our obligations as a member of the EU until we exit
Lead ministers
All ministers
Lead officials
Philip Rycroft, Head of UK Governance Group and Permanent Secretary
Tim Barrow KCMG LVO MBE, UK Permanent Representative to the EU
Alex Ellis, Director General
4.1 Secure collective Government positions on ongoing EU business
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Work closely with the Cabinet Office and all departments to agree collective government positions on ongoing EU business |
| Involve the Devolved Administrations in policy formulation on ongoing EU business, including through the Joint Ministerial Committee (Europe) |
4.2 Continue to meet the UK’s obligations as a member of the EU and promote UK interests
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Through UKRep and departments across Whitehall, continue to represent the United Kingdom’s interests as a member of the EU until withdrawal |
| Participate as a Member State at the ministerial level, including at the General Affairs Council |
| Through UKRep, in coordination with departments across Whitehall, and working closely with the Devolved Administrations, negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation until the UK’s exit |
Our performance
The UK Permanent Representation to the EU represents the UK in negotiations that take place in the EU. UKRep ensures the UK’s interests are promoted and explained to other Member States and the EU Institutions on the whole range of EU business.
5. Attract, develop and retain great people and organise ourselves flexibly to deliver our objectives efficiently and effectively
Lead minister
All ministers
Lead officials
Philip Rycroft, Head of UK Governance Group and Permanent Secretary
Helen Mills, Director for Human Resources and Corporate Centre
Richard Ney, Director for Finance and Corporate Centre
5.1 Embed effective governance structures
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Embed corporate governance arrangements to ensure the Department is accountable and flexible and that it empowers its people |
| Monitor the Department’s performance against its objectives, use of resources and its risk management approach |
| Embed the role of the Department’s Non-Executive Board Members to provide external challenge at its Executive Board and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee |
5.2 Operate efficiently and securely
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Coordinate effective protective security measures to counter risks and combat threats |
| Share services, estates and IT wherever possible with other government departments to ensure efficient corporate activity |
5.3 Recruit, develop and retain the right people
| How we will achieve this |
|---|
| Draw together, develop and retain officials with a wide range of expertise from across government and outside the Civil Service |
| Ensure that all staff embrace the Department’s values so that they are empowered to deliver and foster collaboration in an exceptional context that respects and values diversity |
| Review resources regularly to ensure they are sufficient to deliver the Department’s objectives |
| Work with the Cabinet Office to ensure effective resourcing of EU exit across Whitehall |
Our finances
Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL) - £101.1 million
Resource DEL (including depreciation) - £101 million
Capital DEL – £0.1 million
Annually Managed Expenditure – £0.5 million
Control totals included in this document are in line with the latest voted by Parliament in the Main Supply Estimates 2017-18
Source: Main Supply Estimates 2017-2018