The think-tank assessed the government’s preparations as the UK prepares to begin the process of leaving the European Union and published its findings today.
Making a success of Brexit, the IfG said, will require “efforts from the whole machinery of government”. In particular, Whitehall will be called on to prepare for talks, provide analysis, options and evidence to establish negotiating positions, manage the discussions and provide policy expertise.
While the Department for Exiting the EU was found to have established itself quickly and Brexit-focused teams across government were working with professional dedication, the IfG highlighted the uncertainty in some departments about what they are required to do before Article 50 is triggered. Some of this doubt “inevitably” stemmed from the lack of clarity on the government’s overall negotiating position, the think-tank noted.
Prime minister Theresa May has stood firm on her commitment to trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017, but has repeatedly refused to elaborate on what stance the government will take into talks with Europe.
Since the IfG’s last report on Brexit in September, in which it argued that “silence was not a strategy”, the government has revealed little more of how it plans to approach negotiations.
Today’s report concluded that the government’s secrecy extended beyond maintaining privacy around its top-level position and “into areas of process and planning”, which was hampering preparations.
It recommended that Number 10 provide departments with more detailed information on the processes they should be following before Article 50 is triggered.
The government was urged to decide as soon as possible how negotiations will be run and who will be involved. Departments should also “prepare for day one outside the EU,” including on how any potential opportunities should be realised.
The think-tank highlighted that departments were being called on to prepare for Brexit at the same time as carrying out significant cost-saving programmes. Moreover, the impact of leaving the EU will have a dramatic impact on several departments’ budgets, such as the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra), which will see its budget reduced by around 35% by March 2019.
Hannah White, director of research at the IfG, said: “We are rapidly approaching the triggering of Article 50, but our research shows that the civil service still doesn’t have what it needs – in terms of money, staff and information – to enable politicians to get the best deal for the country.
“This is not about revealing whether we are heading towards a hard, soft or ‘grey’ Brexit. This is about being ready for the negotiations, and getting ready for life after Brexit.
“We know the civil service has the skills to do this, now it needs clear direction from Number 10.”
The IfG also found that drafting of the Great Repeal Bill, which will provide the legislative foundation for Brexit, was “much more complex than anticipated” and will involve difficult policy decisions.
The think-tank urged departments to “look beyond the legislation to understand the systems and institutions that might be required, from regulatory bodies to customs regimes,” and identify opportunities to reform existing unwieldy policies.
