Trade policy in UK requires an ‘urgent overhaul’

● Russell insists Scotland must give formal consent to all future deals

Post-brexit trade deals struck by the UK should be signed off by all its component countries, a new paper from the Scottish Government has suggested.

It also insisted there should be a formal role for the devolved administrations in trade negotiations that touch upon devolved policy areas.

The Scottish Government wants there to be “a statutory requirement that the agreement and participation of the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament should be required where new UK trade agreements would have devolved content, or touch on devolved issues”, it said.

The paper, launched by constitutional relations secretary Mike Russell, also argued the UK Parliament should have to consent to future agreements “to ensure that the interests of all nations of the UK are reflected in any trade agreements”.

Current arrangements for developing trade policy across the UK “are already out of date andnotfitforpurposeinasituation where the UK is a member of the EU”, the report said.

With Brexit now looming, it called for an “urgent and substantial overhaul” of existing processes and procedures.

Key for Holyrood ministers in this is ensuring Scottish interests are protected – with the paper pointing out the greater importance of the

0 Theresa May talked of continuing trading relationships during her visit to Kenya

export of fish, seafoods and spirits to the economy north of the border.

The report demanded: “The Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament must have

a guaranteed role in all stages of the formulation, negotiation, agreement and implementation of all future trade deals to help industries, protect devolved public services and ensure the highest standards of social, environmental and consumer protection in Scotland and across the UK.”

While SNP ministers have repeatedly argued that both Scotland and the UK as a whole should remain in the single market and customs union after the Britain quits the European Union, they have

REPORT

to “make the necessary preparations for all exit possibilities, in order to support and protect the Scottish economy and our key sectors as much as possible”.

Being part of the customs union gives Scotland tarifffree trade with the EU and also means the country benefits from around 40 trade agreements the EU has signed with third countries.

After Brexit the UK will have to negotiate new trade deals with overseas nations, instead of this being carried out by the EU, as has happened for over 40 years.

“The broad and increasing scope of modern trade agreements means that they often deal with, and merge, a range of reserved and devolved policy areas,” the Scottish Government report said.

It also warned it would be “challenging” for the UK to make up for a decline in trade with Europe by selling more to other countries. 0 Uhuru Kenyatta talks up trade with the UK

forward,” Mr Kenyatta said in Nairobi.

“I don’t believe Brexit is going to dent our ability to further strengthen and deepen both trade and investment between our two countries.”

Mrs May – who was urged to ditch European locations and holiday in Kenya after Brexit– announced a new security pact between the two countries as well as assistance to develop a cyber crime centre to help Kenyan police target paedophiles.

“The Scottish Parliament must have a guaranteed role in all stages of all future trade deals”