Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has not yet received any information from the UK Government regarding its Great Repeal Bill. While giving evidence at the European and External Relations Committee of the Scottish Parliament, the Secretary of State for Scotland confirmed that this process would be taken forward on the basis of close co-operation between the two governments. The Scottish Government has a distinct role in protecting Scotland’s interests, and must be treated as an equal partner and be centrally involved in developing the UK position.

Consideration of the impact on Scots law is a key element of the Scottish Government’s work on the options for Scotland’s future relationship with the EU and the rest of the UK following the EU referendum. The Scottish Government recognises that the potential impact is substantial. We will seek to use whatever influence we have to protect Scotland’s interests and shape the UK position.

Since the EU referendum result, Ministers have undertaken a number of engagements with EU partners. These engagements are to ensure there is awareness of the vote in Scotland for Remain in the referendum, and to explain that the First Minister has said the government is exploring all options to protect Scotland’s interests and our relationship with, and place in, the European Union.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04327 on 15 November 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Food and Drink Exports from Scotland were valued at £4.9 billion in 2015, with 40% going to the EU. We are working closely with stakeholders across the food and drink industry, including the industry leadership body, Scotland Food and Drink, to establish the impact of Brexit on Scotland’s trade within the EU and through wider free trade agreement.

The Scottish Government website has a dedicated section on Europe, including information on the implications of the EU Referendum, which can be found at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/International/Europe. We have published information here, including the First Minister’s letter to EU citizens in Scotland and minutes of Standing Council meetings. We are currently considering how best to use this to share information about Scottish Government activity that is taking place in relation to Scotland’s place in Europe.

No information has been published by the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe.

However, a number of reports have been published by the Scottish Government following the EU referendum, including:

• ‘Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland's Long Run Economic Performance’ (August 2016) http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00504615.pdf

• ‘The impacts of migrants and migration into Scotland’ (October 2016) http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/10/5974 and ‘Characteristics of migrants in Scotland: Analysis of the 2011 Census’ (October 2016) http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/10/6840

• ‘State of the Economy’ (October 2016) http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00508901.pdf

The Scottish Government greatly values the contribution that EU migrants bring to our economy and society. We also value the freedom of movement including the right to live, study and work in all EU countries and benefit from their healthcare and social security systems.

In relation to professional sport, while the impacts of Brexit are primarily for Sporting Governing Bodies and other sporting authorities to consider, we are committed to working with them on any issues that may arise. We maintain regular contact with sporting authorities on a number of issues.

The best way to protect all our interests, including those most important to rural areas, is by protecting Scotland’s place in Europe, maintaining membership of the single market and access to the free movement of labour.

The Scottish Government is currently exploring a range of options to protect Scotland's relationship and place in the EU with all its economic and social benefits and specific proposals will be published shortly.

The Scottish Government will table specific proposals in the coming weeks to protect Scotland’s interests and keep us in the Single Market, even if the rest of the UK decides to leave.