Scottish Labour calls for answers on Brexit impact

Labour has called for answers on the impact of Brexit on Scotland amid concerns that Scottish people are being forgotten about as the UK and Scottish Governments bicker.

Europe spokesperson Lewis Macdonald will table 100 questions in the Scottish Parliament on the impact of Brexit on a range of issues including economic impact, public services, citizens’ rights, trade and transparency.

Labour said a week on from the Joint Ministerial Committee, Scots are still no clearer on the impact of Brexit on their lives, and called on the SNP government to provide as much information as possible.

Scottish Labour Europe spokesperson Lewis Macdonald said:

“Scotland deserves better than two nationalist governments arguing with each other whilst the Scottish people are kept in the dark.

The Tories’ reckless Brexit gamble means so much uncertainty for Scotland’s economy and public services, many of which are run by the Scottish Government. We now need to hear from the Scottish Government exactly what the impact of that gamble will be on.

Theresa May has said Brexit means Brexit, and Nicola Sturgeon wants an all Scotland approach – yet no one in Scotland is any clearer on what Brexit means for their homes, jobs, wallets and kids.

Labour supports the Scottish Government’s attempts to get the best deal possible for Scotland but we all need more information on what is happening next, and what analysis the Scottish Government is getting on with.

The Scottish Government simply must do better than just point the finger at the Tories and Scotland deserves better than a Brexit deal cooked up in backrooms of government with no transparency.”

 

The 100 questions, grouped into categories, are as follows:

Economic impact

To ask the Scottish Government

  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on family incomes
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on business revenues in key sectors
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on employment levels
  • whether it accepts the estimates made by the Fraser of Allander Institute in their report for the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External relations Committee regarding the economic implications of Brexit for Scotland
  • how many firms have indicated to the Scottish Government or its agencies that they are pausing or reviewing investment decisions since the Brexit vote
  • how will multi-national companies with bases and operations here and elsewhere in the EU be supported to maintain those bases and profitability without incurring costs
  • how many investment proposals it is aware of that have not gone ahead since the Brexit vote
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on passporting for financial services
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on tax revenues in Scotland
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on GDP in Scotland
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on productivity in Scotland
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on exports from Scotland
  • whether it has carried out any assessment of investor confidence in the energy market following the vote to leave the EU
  • what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the removal of current EU regulations on food and plant safety
  • what estimates it has made regarding whether Scottish business and residential  premises will lose out on the EU pledge to introduce free wifi into major EU cities by 2020
  • what estimates it has made regarding whether Scottish business and roll out 5G by 2025
  • which foods currently have protected geographical indication under EU law and what estimates it has made of the revenue impact should this protected status be lost
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on skills in the construction sector
  • what estimates it has made of the introduction of tariffs on raw construction materials following the vote to leave the EU, and the impact this would have on public infrastructure projects, including housing
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on the ability of the construction industry to secure loans for building new homes
  • what action it intends to take to ensure that the operating and administrative costs incurred by LEADER local action groups will be met throughout the lifetime of funded projects
  • what guarantees it can give on replacing EU structural funding which will be lost as a result of Brexit
  • whether it has commissioned a risk register considering the impact on Scotland’s (a) employment (b) value of goods and services (c) businesses (d) public services (e) imports and (f) exports since the the EU referendum result
  • further to the answer to S5W-02182, which other public bodies are formally considering the implications of the EU referendum result
  • what assessment it has made of the impact on Brexit on paying the Living Wage

Education

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what it will do to ensure that Scottish students will still be able to participate in the Erasmus scheme after Brexit
  • how it estimates academics living and working in Scotland will be supported to travel to EU countries and HE institutions to participate in learning and research opportunities
  • what it will do to ensure that universities still have access to EU funding

EU and UK citizens

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on whether EU citizens living in the UK can remain in the UK, work and retain all their current rights
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on whether UK citizens will have to apply for visas to travel to Europe
  • what proposal the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe has put to Theresa May regarding reassuring EU nationals about their status in the UK
  • what percentage of employees in the food and drink sector are (a) UK citizens; (b) EU citizens; and (c) from elsewhere in the world

Fishing

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what estimates it has made regarding future arrangements for managing our fishing resources after Brexit
  • whether funding for the fishing sector, through the European and Maritime Fisheries Fund, will be maintained
  • what is its policy regarding access for EU fleets to Scottish fishing
  • what percentage of employees in the fishing fleet are (a) UK citizens; (b) EU citizens; and (c) from elsewhere in the world
  • whether it will meet any financial penalties imposed by the EU for not spending SRDP monies as required if guarantees for that funding are not forthcoming at the end of this year
  • what is its policy regarding access for EU fleets to Scottish fishing grounds

Great Repeal Act

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what information it has received from the UK Government regarding it’s Great Repeal Bill, and if it will publish this
  • what analysis it has made of State Aid restrictions on the ability of government to intervene to support particular industries or regions since the EU referendum result
  • which EU law it will convert to Scots law in advance of the UK Government’s Great Repeal Bill
  • how much EU legislation can it convert to Scots law in advance of the UK Government’s Great Repeal Bill
  • whether it has assessed which EU law can be converted to Scots Law in advance of the UK Government’s Great Repeal Bill

Health

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what percentage of employees in the NHS in Scotland are (a) UK citizens; (b) EU citizens; and (c) from elsewhere in the world
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on recruitment and retention of NHS staff
  • what estimates it has made regarding whether mutual recognition of medical qualification across the EU will continue after Brexit
  • whether Scotland will continue to participate in EU-wide health initiatives after Brexit
  • whether Scotland will continue to adhere to EU-wide medicines regulation after Brexit
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on professional sport

Independence

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what discussions if any it has had with EU institutions regarding Scottish independence

Immigration

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what immigration advice it has provided to EU citizens since the EU Referendum result
  • what discussions it has had with public, private and third sector providers of immigration advice since the EU referendum result
  • whether it has assessed the capacity of the public, private and third sectors to provide immigration advice since the EU referendum result
  • what assessment has it made of the viability of Scotland having a bespoke migration system, and will it publish that assessment

Justice

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • if the UK Government opts out of a new European policing co-operation framework, does it believe that Police Scotland will continue to have access to key data and other resources held by the EU crime-fighting agency Europol
  • whether it believes that Police Scotland will continue to have use of the European Arrest Warrant after Brexit
  • if the UK Government opts out of a new European policing co-operation framework, does it believe that Police Scotland will continue to have access to key data and other resources held by the EU crime-fighting agency Europol

Legal advice

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • whether it has received legal advice on the Brexit process, and if so, will it publish that advice?
  • further to the answer to S5W-01163 whether legal advice was commissioned
  • which of the Legal Services Framework lots does use to obtain legal advice relating to Scotland’s Place in Europe
  • how much it has spent under each lot of its Legal Services Framework since the Scottish Parliament elections
  • how it procures its legal advice

Rural

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what guarantees it can give on support for farming beyond 2020, in light of the vote to leave the EU
  • whether it will guarantee the £360 million of EU funding for fishing, farming and food if this money is not secured by the date of the autumn statement
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on farm exports and incomes
  • further to the comments by Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe Mike Russell MSP in the Chamber on 27 September 2016, can it clarify what proposals it has developed regarding how funding provided under the Common Agricultural Policy could be replaced if necessary
  • further to the comments by Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe Mike Russell MSP in the Chamber on 27 September 2016, can it clarify what proposals it has developed regarding EEA membership and its impact on the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy?
  • whether it will guarantee £20 million of ERDF funding allocated for digital connectivity in the Highlands and Islands if contracts cannot be secured by the date of the autumn statement
  • what action it intends to take to ensure that the operating and administrative costs incurred by LEADER local action groups will be met throughout the lifetime of funded projects

Single Market

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • in what month will it meet the First Minister’s commitment to publish proposals that would allow Scotland to stay in the single market as referred to by the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe
  • on what date it began preparing proposals for Scotland to stay in the single market as referred to by the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe
  • what contingency plans it is preparing should the UK leave the EU single market

Trade

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • what analysis of the European Free Trade Agreement and its impact on Scotland has it commissioned since the EU referendum result
  • what analysis of a customs union with the EU and its impact on Scotland has it commissioned since the EU referendum result
  • what analysis of a bespoke, bilateral free trade deal with the EU and its impact on Scotland has it commissioned since the EU referendum result
  • what analysis of a unilateral free trade policy and its impact on Scotland has it commissioned since the EU referendum result
  • what analysis of reverting to WTO rules and its impact on Scotland has it commissioned since the EU referendum result
  • what assessments has it made of the impact of each individual product tariff on manufacturers under WTO rules, and if the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe has sought this information from the UK Government
  • whether it has engaged with the Norwegian government regarding future trade arrangements
  • whether it has engaged with the Swiss government regarding future trade arrangements
  • whether it has engaged with the Canadian government regarding future trade arrangements
  • whether it has engaged with the US government regarding future trade arrangements
  • whether it has engaged with the EFTA and its institutions regarding future trade agreements
  • whether it has engaged with the EEA and its institutions regarding future trade agreements
  • whether it has engaged with the EU and its institutions regarding future trade agreements
  • what estimate it has made of the likely impact of Brexit on exports of Scottish food and drink to the EU and through EU Free Trade Agreements
  • what estimates it has made of the impact of Brexit on whether UK citizens living in the EU will be given the right to remain and retain all their current rights to access services there
  • whether it has spoken to the Japanese Government about the report it published on Brexit,
  • what guarantees the Minister for the UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe has sought about Japanese investment in Scotland

Transparency

To ask the Scottish Government:

  • how many staff have been allocated to the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe
  • what financial resource will be allocated to the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe for 16/17 to support his work
  • whether it will provide a dedicated website recording the work under taken in relation to Scotland’s Place in Europe including (a) meeting notes (b) correspondence (c) details of ministerial meetings and (d) and other information which is deemed to be publishable
  • if it will provide a summary report of the work undertaken which it has decided not to publish in full and the reasons for such a decision
  • what information the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe has published since being appointed
  • what analysis has the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe commissioned since being appointed
  • whether the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe has defined Scotland’s negotiating position and if this will be laid before parliament
  • whether it will ensure cross-party representation on the Joint Ministerial Sub-Committee to ensure the Scottish Parliament is properly represented
  • has it assessed the impact of the EU referendum result on those sectors that are most heavily dependent on EU migrant workers.
  • whether it has commissioned a risk register considering the impact on Scotland’s (a) employment (b) value of goods and services (c) businesses (d) public services (e) imports and (f) exports since the EU referendum result.
  • further to the answer to S5W-02182, which other public bodies are formally considering the implications of the EU referendum result.

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7 thoughts on “Scottish Labour calls for answers on Brexit impact

  1. Scottish Labour are a British Nationalist Party, last time I looked.
    Shouldn’t they come clean as to what they want, and how that could be achieved.
    Does Scottish Labour think Scotland should remain within the UK, no matter how much damage it does to our economy?
    Does Scottish Labour think Scotland should try to remain within the EU, even if the rest of the UK leaves?
    Does Scottish Labour think Scotland should try to take the UK’s place within the EU, as Professor Curtice proposes?
    Does Scottish Labour think Scotland should join the EEA, to trade with the EU?
    Does Scottish Labour think Scotland has the sovereign right to decide our method of governance as in The Claim of Right?
    If Scottish Labour thinks Scotland has sovereign rights, how does it propose we exorcise them if it opposes direct public consultation in a referendum?

    There are obviously a million questions that could be posed, but time forbids it on this lovely sunny morning.

  2. Labour you may have missed something, just last week our First Minster was down to 10 Downing Street with the other First Minsters from Wales and NI, to be so-called updated on Brexit and get answers from the Prime minster and her cabinet.

    You appear to have missed the report on the meeting, it was only on the BBC, STV, MSM and every part of social media. But to help you out it was, NO progress, NO answers and NO FUCKING IDEA OF WHAT TO DO, and I believe that is near to the official response from 10 Downing Street.

    And you know what to do with your 100 pathetic, useless, ignorant questions !!! just add them to your 170 other pathetic, useless, ignorant questions you produced under labour in Westminster.

    Labour Questions 270 — Labour Answers 0.

  3. What is it with Labour and enormous lists? Are we to be impressed by the sheer volume of questions? Few people, if any, will read them all. In my opinion, most folk will roll their eyes (metaphorically at least) and dismiss the list as just another ill-considered Labour stunt without reading a single question. If you want to catch the interest of the electorate, you need to be succinct. It’s not a good idea to bore them to tears with ginormous lists.

  4. As no Labourite ( hesitate to call them socialists, that would imply egalitarian and progressive beliefs) has bothered to answer any of my above queries so there is no point in adding more, I thought I would just add a little thought of my own.

    In the forthcoming council elections Scottish Labour will start in third place behind a rampant SNP and the “Cult of Ruthie”. For Scottish Labour we will now apparently have Corbynites, Blairites, Modernisers ( undistinguishable from Blairites) all standing under the Old/New Labour banner.
    To them we must now add the councillors in Lanarkshire, etc, dumped from the List, but who will “fight on” as Independents.
    Also in Glasgow there are Labour councillors who are to go through retraining to diffuse their mysoginistic attitudes. We are not told if they will be allowed to stand, although given the Council Leader in Glasgow has creepy gender “previous” in this area, then they could probably challenge any “red card” they receive.
    Given all this, and the fact that Kezia seems to prefer the USA to Scotland these days, how many councillors will Scottish Labour still have after the election?

  5. Lewis, you were third in the last election; behind the tories for God’s sake. The utter, utter vacuity of this contribution indicates why, and from one of the more sensible members as well.

  6. The WM govt needs to clarify its aims, best case and worst case for each aim, before any clear conclusions can be drawn on the effect Brexit will have on Scotland. Even I know that. This 100 questions is just a gimmick. Something to replace real, constructive politics.

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