Thread by @jl_owen

Last night @michaelgove did a last pre-prorogation evidence session on no deal preparations for the @LordsEUCom

Asked about the biggest no deal risks, he confirmed that there were EIGHT areas of most concern....

The eight areas cover - well - absolutely everything:

- Flow at border
- business readiness
- animals
- people
- security
- northern ireland
- economy
- data

As @Gilesyb pointed out the list doesn't cover the rest of the universe, but Galileo might make them reconsider

He said government would publish revised and up to date yellowhammer assumptions.

But alongside that they would publish the govts mitigation - so people could see what they had done.

Seemed to suggest those mitigations already baked into assumptions (so might be misleading?)

There are now 17,000 officials working on Brexit - which is 1,000 more than March estimate from Manzoni.

There are 300 projects, 700 milestones - all reported on at daily meetings of XO committee.

(sounds like a fair whack of those 17K people will be reporting/briefing then)

Talked about prospect of side deals -

Was clear that that they are unilateral temporary measures, not mini deals as some of his colleagues like to call them.

Gove confident more mitigations would come if we approach no deal through convo with UK

Gove felt EU not talking about mini deals out of fear of 'prejudicing negotiations' - which is one way to put it.

We've been told EU unwilling to discuss as they see it as an internal matter for them. There will be no mini deals or agreements.

A big part of the £100m comms campaign was making people aware of the 31 October date and that we would be leaving...

As @jillongovt has said - now the Benn Bill is law, presumably they need to look again at how they are communication - 31 is now no means a certainty

Gove positive about the French work to prepare for no deal - in particularly the special lane for fish products crossing border.

But saying traders without right paperwork 'might face delay' is a very positive outlook on government's assumptions of up to 8 hour delay.

Gove then went on to supply of... drugs...

Govt buying space on planes and boats to ship medicines over. Also talking to NHS about letting pharmacists give patients different drugs to those on prescription if shortage/they do same or similar job.

Clearly a very live discussion in government about no deal tariffs.

Gove recognised that they undercut their ability to strike deals with countries like Canada (why give the Brits anything when they've given you what you want for free).

But also worried about balance between protecting consumers from price impact of EU goods (e.g. food) but also giving producers adequate protection.

Gove impressive on detail and took the opportunity to compliment @OllyRobbins and his team in the Europe Unit (which is more than I think we've seen from Theresa May - aside from the honours of course...)