To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, 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.

Brexit is an all-of-government operation. The Department for Exiting the European Union is responsible for overseeing negotiations to leave the EU and establishing the future relationship between the UK and EU.

The department does not hold a central record of the posts or responsibilities occupied by its staff once transferred, loaned or seconded to another department or organisation. We are however able to confirm that in the time since 23 June 2016 there have been seven people transferred or loaned to the Department for Exiting the European Union who have subsequently returned to this department. MHCLG staff on loan to other departments in this period may have contributed to or worked on preparations for the UK to leave the EU but we are unable to confirm or supply this information.