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No-deal Brexit: What is the UK government doing to prepare? No-deal Brexit: What is the UK government doing to prepare?
(4 months later)
The European Union (EU) has agreed to the UK's request for a further Brexit delay. Under the new timetable, the UK's scheduled departure from the EU is now 31 October 2019 - seven months after the original deadline. The government says it is scaling up preparations for a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.
Despite this extra time being granted, the UK government says it will "continue to make all necessary preparations" for a no-deal Brexit. This follows reports that official planning for that scenario was being stood down. A week after taking office, Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged an extra £2.1bn specifically to prepare for leaving the EU without a deal.
The government adds that plans "will evolve and adapt" but will not stop, while the chance of leaving the EU without an agreement remains. Prior to this, the government led by Theresa May had promised £4.2bn to prepare for a range of Brexit scenarios.
So what are the government's no-deal contingency plans? The extra £2.1bn will fund preparations including:
Operation Yellowhammer Mr Johnson has also set up three new cabinet committees, which will meet more frequently than Mrs May's EU Exit Committee did - including one which will meet daily.
The government's no-deal Brexit contingency plan is code-named Operation Yellowhammer, after a species of bird. So what has the government already done to prepare?
First launched in June 2018, it covers 12 areas including transport, healthcare, energy, food and water.
It is based on worst-case scenario assumptions - delays at the border over a six-month period, increased immigration checks at EU border posts, reduction in choice and availability of food, and potential price increases for utilities, food and fuel.
Operation Yellowhammer isn't the government's only Brexit contingency plan, but sits alongside broader preparations.
This is to "reflect the fact that it would not be possible for departments to plan for every eventuality", according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO), and that the government would need a way of taking control and quickly coordinating different agencies to handle any short-term disruption.
Through Operation Yellowhammer, the government has been looking at what existing powers it could use to prioritise fuel to essential services or to relax rules limiting the working hours of HGV drivers, for example.
As part the contingency plans, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has made 3,500 troops, including reserves, available to be deployed if necessary.
It has also set up an operations room in a bunker at its main Whitehall building to coordinate efforts in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The MoD will not comment on exactly what role the troops could perform, only that they will "support government planning".
In its report on Yellowhammer, published in March, the NAO said some no-deal preparations might not be ready in time.
For example, the report said the government did not have enough time to put in place all of the infrastructure, systems and people required for fully effective border operations on day one.
The cost of Yellowhammer is part of the £1.5bn allocated by the Treasury to government departments for Brexit preparations.
For Yellowhammer to be effective, the NAO says that the "command, control and coordination" structure needs to be in place ahead of the UK leaving the EU.
The Cabinet Office refused to tell the BBC whether Operation Yellowhammer was already underway ahead of a possible no-deal Brexit on 12 April. It said it would not provide a running commentary.
But what about the government's broader no-deal Brexit plans?
HealthcareHealthcare
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says thousands of medicines have been analysed to work out what might be affected by supply disruption from the EU. At the end of June, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) started a new process of "securing" freight capacity, warehouse space and fridges in order to stockpile medicines.
Suppliers are stockpiling an additional six weeks' worth of these drugs over and above the usual "buffer" stock. Ahead of the UK's original departure date of 29 March - then extended to 12 April - the DHSC said thousands of medicines had been analysed to work out what might be affected by supply disruption from the EU.
The same approach is being taken with vaccines as well as blood and transplant products. Suppliers stockpiled an additional six weeks' worth of these drugs over and above the usual "buffer" stock.
The DHSC has also agreed contracts for extra warehouse space with refrigeration capacity to store these supplies. The same approach was being taken with vaccines as well as blood and transplant products.
A plane has been chartered to fly in medicines which have short shelf-lives and cannot be stockpiled, like medical radioisotopes used in cancer treatment. The DHSC had also agreed contracts for extra warehouse space with refrigeration capacity to store these supplies.
This exercise is being repeated to ensure the department is "as prepared for leaving the EU without a deal in October as it was on 29 March and 12 April".
It is looking to secure an express freight service to bring in emergency medical supplies within 24 hours where medicines can't be stockpiled or "a suppliers' own logistics plans are disrupted".
TransportTransport
The government has previously warned "there could be some freight traffic disruption in Kent in the event of a no-deal Brexit". There have been warnings of significant disruption in a no-deal scenario, because lorries travelling between the UK and the EU will need to complete custom declarations.
That's because under a no-deal scenario, lorries travelling between the UK and the EU will need to complete custom declarations. On top of this, certain goods from the UK, such as food and plant products, arriving at EU ports may also require physical checks, under EU single market rules. On top of this, certain goods from the UK - such as food and plant products - arriving at EU ports may also require physical checks, under EU single market rules.
The Port of Dover in Kent handles approximately 10,500 lorries a day and the worry is that extra checks could lead to bottlenecks, leading to many miles of tailbacks.The Port of Dover in Kent handles approximately 10,500 lorries a day and the worry is that extra checks could lead to bottlenecks, leading to many miles of tailbacks.
Independent modelling has estimated that two minutes of extra processing time for each lorry would lead to tailbacks of 17 miles.Independent modelling has estimated that two minutes of extra processing time for each lorry would lead to tailbacks of 17 miles.
To avoid significant disruption, Operation Brock is the name of the plan to hold up to 2,000 lorries heading for mainland Europe in a queue while keeping other traffic flowing around it (ie a contraflow system). Operation Brock is the name of the plan to hold up to 2,000 lorries heading for mainland Europe in a queue, while keeping other traffic flowing around it - a contraflow system.
Extra funding for the operation was included as part of the £2.1bn pledged by the prime minister at the end of July.
A fallback option would be to divert lorries to the disused Manston airfield, near Ramsgate - and use it to hold up to 6,000 lorries on the runway at any one time.A fallback option would be to divert lorries to the disused Manston airfield, near Ramsgate - and use it to hold up to 6,000 lorries on the runway at any one time.
If further capacity was still required, a "last resort" would be to turn the M26 into a temporary lorry park. The M26 is a 10-mile motorway connecting the M25 at Sevenoaks and the M20, near West Malling.If further capacity was still required, a "last resort" would be to turn the M26 into a temporary lorry park. The M26 is a 10-mile motorway connecting the M25 at Sevenoaks and the M20, near West Malling.
Under this scenario, the M26 would be closed to normal road users and lorries would park on the carriageway. Kent County Council believes this option could accommodate an additional 2,000 lorries.Under this scenario, the M26 would be closed to normal road users and lorries would park on the carriageway. Kent County Council believes this option could accommodate an additional 2,000 lorries.
Roadworks have been taking place to install a temporary steel barrier on the M20 that would be used for Operation Brock. On 15 April, following the Brexit delay to 31 October, the contraflow on the M20 was removed to restore capacity on the motorway.
On 11 April, Highways England said it had scaled back its plan following the Brexit delay to 31 October. It said it would remove the contraflow on the M20 to "restore capacity on the motorway in time for the Easter bank holiday weekend." But Highways England said a steel barrier installed to implement the contraflow would remain in place "should Operation Brock be required again in the coming months".
Kent County Council has also issued advice to local schools suggesting pupils and staff could be moved inside school buildings if extra lorry traffic causes air pollution to increase.
FoodFood
The government has published a "tariff schedule" - a list of the taxes placed on different types of products when they are imported from other countries - which has removed most tariffs on imports in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The government published a "tariff schedule" - a list of the taxes placed on different types of products when they are imported from other countries - in March. It removed most tariffs on imports in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
It will mean some goods from outside the EU that currently attract a tariff could be cheaper. And some goods from the EU that are currently imported with 0% tariffs, like beef and dairy, will now carry tariffs, and so could become more expensive. That would mean some goods from outside the EU which currently attract a tariff could be cheaper. And some goods from the EU which are currently imported with 0% tariffs, like beef and dairy, will now carry tariffs, and so could become more expensive.
The British Retail Consortium has warned that there could be gaps on supermarket shelves if there is disruption at the border. The British Retail Consortium has warned there could be gaps on supermarket shelves if there is disruption at the border.
Irish borderIrish border
The UK government published on 13 March its contingency plan to avoid a hard border (ie physical infrastructure) in Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit. On 13 March, the UK government published its contingency plan to avoid a hard border (ie physical infrastructure) in Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Under the plans, the UK will not bring in new checks or controls or require customs declarations for any goods moving from Ireland to Northern Ireland in the event of no deal. Under the plans, the UK said it would not bring in new checks or controls, or require customs declarations for any goods moving from Ireland to Northern Ireland, in the event of no deal.
But this will only be a temporary measure while negotiations take place to find longer term solutions. The UK government says its contingency plan recognises "the unique social, political and economic circumstances of Northern Ireland". But this will only be a temporary measure while negotiations take place to find longer-term solutions. The UK government says its contingency plan recognises "the unique social, political and economic circumstances of Northern Ireland".
To protect people's health, some plant and animal products that come into Northern Ireland from outside the EU, via Ireland, will still need to be checked. The UK government has said these checks will not happen at the border itself. But it has not specified exactly where they will take place.To protect people's health, some plant and animal products that come into Northern Ireland from outside the EU, via Ireland, will still need to be checked. The UK government has said these checks will not happen at the border itself. But it has not specified exactly where they will take place.
It remains unclear what will happen to goods travelling from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland. Under EU rules, checks would normally be required at the point certain goods enter the EU single market (such as at the Irish land border).It remains unclear what will happen to goods travelling from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland. Under EU rules, checks would normally be required at the point certain goods enter the EU single market (such as at the Irish land border).
However, the Irish government says there are "no plans for Border Inspection Posts on the border with Northern Ireland". The Irish government says it is securing additional space and has recruited more customs and agriculture staff to allow for a "significant increase in checks and procedures" at the border.
Operation Yellowhammer
While each government department has its own plan to manage the effects of no deal, these different efforts will need to be co-ordinated.
Alongside broader preparations, the Cabinet Office put in place an overarching no-deal Brexit contingency plan, code-named Operation Yellowhammer, in June 2018.
It was designed as a way for the government to take control and quickly co-ordinate different agencies to handle any short-term disruption.
And it covered 12 areas. including transport, healthcare, energy, food and water.
Operation Yellowhammer was based on worst-case scenario assumptions - delays at the border over a six-month period, increased immigration checks at EU border posts, reduction in choice and availability of food, and potential price increases for utilities, food and fuel.
The government could use this central command to prioritise fuel to essential services or to relax rules limiting the working hours of HGV drivers, for example.
The Cabinet Office was not able to confirm whether this plan is still in place.
In April, the Ministry of Defence said it had 3,500 troops available to be deployed if necessary.
A spokesperson told the BBC that after that point, the department reduced the readiness of these troops, but said it would be ready to make service personnel available "where necessary".
'Side deals'?
The Prime Minister, along with other of his Conservative colleagues, has referred in the past to "side deals" with the EU which will make no deal easier.
It's not the case that the UK and the EU have any no-deal agreements or "side deals".
The UK government has published a series of no-deal notices which detail guidance for businesses and ports on how to prepare.
It has also published a paper confirming the rights of EU citizens already living in the UK - and their families - to remain.
On the other side, the EU has also passed a series of regulations to prepare for no deal, for example allowing planes to fly from the UK to the EU, and road hauliers to operate in the EU for nine months.
The EU has described these as "temporary in nature, limited in scope and will be adopted unilaterally by the EU. They are not 'mini-deals' and have not been negotiated with the UK."
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