Chamber and committees

In evidence to the committee in March last year, the Institute for Government told us that UKIMA

“cut across the whole common frameworks programme in creating the market access principles that limit the scope for effective divergence”.—[Official Report, Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee, 16 March 2023; c 12.]

Do you agree, or do you see a pattern moving towards less regulatory divergence as a result of UKIMA?

I warmly welcome our witnesses, who are from Scottish Development International. In the room, we have Jan Robertson, director of global trade, and Ewen Cameron, head of global trade and consumer industries. We are joined online by David Decrock, team leader for energy transition and trade, for Europe, the middle east and Africa, and senior representative for France.

I will start with a question on the approach to supporting Scottish business. You will have heard and probably reviewed some of our evidence sessions. Small businesses in particular seem to want much more structured support, with a toolkit to enable them to trade. That issue has been mentioned, as have the challenges of costs and consultancy.

I would like to get a flavour of what you are doing at the moment. I will start with Jan Robertson.

That would be very helpful.

As members have no further questions, I will ask a final question. Mr Bain, I think, talked earlier about the political will to get the situation resolved. The previous deputy convener and I regularly attend the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly as observers from the Parliament. We have seen attention being given there to what the review will actually mean, with a very hard line being taken by some European members, who say that they are not opening the issue back up and that it is a performative piece of review rather than providing opportunities. You will all know from your work that relationships are key in Brussels in the way that it operates. Do you get a sense that there is a political will there to try to resolve some of the issues that you have raised with us today?

Do you want to direct that question to anyone in particular, as we are in a hybrid situation?

Welcome to the 11th meeting in 2024 of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. I record our thanks to Kate Forbes for her thoughtful and diligent approach as a member of the committee, and I wish her well when she takes up her new post later this afternoon.

The first agenda item is a decision on taking business in private. Are members content to take item 3 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Thank you. I will bring in Ms Foster.

Thank you—that is helpful. David, do you want to add anything?

Excellent—thank you. David, as someone who is based in France, could you add a bit about what it means in Paris?

Ewen, do you want to add anything?