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Select committee: Scottish Affairs Committee

Scotland and Brexit: Trade and Foreign Investment inquiry

Closed Opened 12 Mar 2018 Closed 3 Jul 2019

Scottish Affairs Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
This inquiry seeks to investigate: What are Scotland’s priorities for future trade relations with the EU? How could these be best met in a future UK-EU trade deal? What opportunities will there be, following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, for increasing Scottish exports to non-EU nations? How can these opportunities be maximised? How well do the UK Government’s trade priorities address those areas which are most important to Scotland? What influence should the devolved administrations have over future UK trade policy, and how should this be provided for? How do the UK and Scottish governments promote Scottish exports, the Scottish “brand”, and foreign investment in Scotland, how well do they coordinate their activities, and how could this be improved? The Committee are particularly keen to hear from members of underrepresented groups . Evidence will be accepted at least until the end of June 2018, but meetings and oral evidence sessions will begin in mid-May. Written submissions sent in before then will be able to inform those discussions.

Where it stands

The inquiry is closed, opened 12 March 2018.

The committee has published 1 report, most recently 7th Report - Scotland, Trade and Brexit on 10 March 2019.

The government's response

Published 3 July 2019.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government sets out its approach to trade policy and the role of the Devolved Administrations, agreeing with some recommendations (including a ministerial forum) while declining a comprehensive mutual recognition agreement on geographical indications.

  • On a trade concordat, the government says the terms are "currently under discussion" and it hopes "to reach agreement between the parties in the coming months".
  • It agrees there should be ministerial-level engagement and has announced its intention to form a new Ministerial Forum for International Trade, with frequency and terms of reference "subject to ongoing discussion" with the Devolved Administrations.
  • It does not accept a comprehensive mutual recognition agreement on geographical indications with the EU, saying it "would undermine the independence of the UK GI schemes", and states that the UK GI scheme will be fully operational in a deal or no deal scenario.
  • On joint trade missions, it says officials at the Office for the Secretary of State for Scotland "will work with Scottish Government counterparts" when future visits are planned and will report back to the Committee on any joint missions.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error

Reports

All reports

Evidence

  • 7 oral evidence sessionsLatest 4 December 2018
All evidence

Recent activity

Reports

1 report

Oral evidence sessions

7 sessions

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Date Session and witnesses Source
4 Dec 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
14 Nov 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
23 Oct 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
15 Oct 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
10 Sep 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
3 Jul 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗
5 Jun 2018
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded 		View ↗