To ask the Minister for the Economy whether her Department has sifficient staff to complete all required EU withdrawal work before the end of the transition period.

My Department faces significant resourcing challenges on EU Exit work. As a direct impact of Covid 19, the majority of large-scale recruitment to the NICS had been temporarily halted. As we move to a more stable position around Covid 19, my officials have identified a series of critical vacancies which will be resourced through the usual NICS recruitment processes. These will be expedited, but I remain alive to the inherent risks in this area.