Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government is committed to protecting Scotland's relationship with the EU, including state aid rules, following Scotland's unequivocal vote to retain the wide range of economic and social benefits membership provides. We are considering all possible steps to ensure Scotland's continuing relationship with the EU and are engaged at ministerial and official level with the UK Government to ensure the best outcome for Scotland following the EU referendum.

This means that we will continue to provide appropriate support to businesses within the state aid rules as we do for activities such as skills and training, and Research Development and Innovation.

The most recent update on the estimated final cost of the refurbishment of the SFRS control room in Dundee was received in March 2016. This information is contained in Scottish Fire and Rescue Service board papers which can be found on the SFRS website at www.firescotland.gov.uk. This included the cost of providing a temporary control facility whilst the refurbishment works are undertaken.

The Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations (JMC(EN)) is part of the formal inter-governmental machinery between the four Administrations of the United Kingdom. The Scottish Government represents Scotland’s interests in that forum.

The Scottish Government has committed, in our Written Agreement with the Scottish Parliament, to ensure members have opportunity to scrutinise formal inter-governmental engagement. I alerted the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee in advance of the JMC(EN), which took place on 9 November 2016.

Analysis published by the Scottish Government (“Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland’s Long Run Economic Performance”) on 23 August 2016 summarises the impact that leaving the EU could have on the Scottish economy based on a range of recent studies covering different trading relationships that the UK could adopt. Evidence published by the European and External Relations Committee based on analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute confirms the risks Brexit poses to Scotland’s economy. The Fraser of Allander Institute analysis includes estimates of the impact on exports based on a number of potential trading relationships. The Scottish Government is therefore well aware of the potential impact of Brexit on exports from Scotland and we are pursuing all options to retain our relationship with Europe, access to the single market and all the advantages that brings.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Serco Northlink Ferries do however advise that the MV Helliar and MV Hildasay require to operate with 17 crew aboard each vessel. Crews work a six week on, six week off rotation on each of the vessels. The current time charter came into affect on 5 July 2012.

The Scottish Government does not charter the Seatruck vessels MV Hildasay and MV Helliar – these vessels are chartered by Serco Northlink Ferries. As such the cost of any possible termination of the time charter for the use of the MV Helliar and MV Hildasay on the Northern Isles Ferries Services are a matter for Seatruck and Serco Northlink Ferries.

Regulation for the licensing, safety and efficacy of medicines is currently reserved to the UK Government and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) who operate on a UK wide basis.

Parity of professional qualifications underpins the system of mutual recognition that currently facilitates professional mobility between EU Member States. The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) Regulations 2016 were laid by the Department of Health with my agreement on 28 October and will come into force on 18 November. This will transpose into UK law the updated health and social care provisions of the EU Directive on Recognition of Professional Qualifications, maintaining minimum standards for professional qualifications eligible for automatic recognition.

We are facing many uncertainties but, given the recent UK legislation, it is my understanding that the current mutual recognition arrangements will remain unchanged until the EU Directive is amended significantly or its provisions are specifically removed from the UK statute books. However, I recognise fully the understandable anxiety among doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, as well as other health and social care staff who have come to work here from other parts of the European Economic Area. To this end, I wrote on 13 September to Philip Dunne, Minister of State for Health, urging him to examine every possible option for maintaining an effective system for mutual recognition of professional qualifications going forward, whatever the outcome of negotiations.

The Scottish Government does not charter the Seatruck vessels MV Hildasay and MV Helliar – these vessels are chartered by Serco Northlink Ferries.

The impact of Brexit on the NHSScotland workforce will depend on the precise form of withdrawal from the EU. The free movement of people from the EU/EEA allows skilled and experienced health professionals to work in our NHS.

The Scottish Government is committed and fully supports the free movement of workers within the EU.

We greatly value our non-UK EU citizens and their wider contribution to our society, we will be working to see that their rights and place in our nation are protected.