Liz Truss vows to unleash ‘every part of the UK’ and remove US tariffs on whisky
Liz Truss has vowed to unleash “every part of the UK” after striking an agreement to remove US tariffs on whisky
The UK international trade secretary claimed the UK was “just getting started” and promised to spend the next four months working to guarantee the tariffs were abolished forever.
The declaration follows the United States temporarily suspending all retaliatory tariffs on direct exports from the UK after a settlement agreement over the Airbus subsidies dispute.
It means Scotch whisky will now see its tariffs go from 25 per cent to 0 per cent, as will textiles such as cashmere.
Writing exclusively in The Scotsman, Ms Truss claimed free trade could now “fuel our recovery and future prosperity”.
She said: “Together with our American allies, we are showing our determination to stop senseless trade disputes like the long-running feud over Boeing and Airbus from holding back our businesses.
“We will work flat out over the next four months to ensure the newly suspended tariffs are gone for good as part of a fair settlement.”
Ms Truss added: “Our mission is to unleash the potential of every part of the UK.
"That is why the Department for International Trade launched last September a trade and investment hub in Edinburgh, which has been helping thousands of Scottish businesses to seize the unparalleled opportunities available through trade.
“We are just getting started.
The trade and investment hub will work closely with credit agencyukexportfinanceand our newly established Office for Investment to see more Scottish businesses excel.”
In Aberdeenshire and Moray yesterday, the senior minister visited the Cardhu whisky distillery and Johnstons of Elgin to see how Scottish businesses will benefit from the agreement
struck with the US in the long running Airbus-boeing dispute.
She explained: “Today I am seeing those benefits for myself by visiting key Scottish businesses, which can now gain from the agreement we struck with the United States to remove tariffs on our exports of whisky and cashmere.
“Suspending tariffs on £550 million worth of UK exports makes Scotland’s finest goods even better value for consumers in the huge American market. I am proud, having spent many of my formative years in Scotland, to be bringing the benefits of free and fair trade to every part of the United Kingdom.
"The Scottish people have
been at the forefront of our success, from Adam Smith championing free trade in the 19th century to the modern entrepreneurs bringing home its benefit, whether it is the Scotch whisky distillers and Edinburgh financial services selling across the world or the Dundee developers behind best-selling games like Minecraft. It is estimated that the industry supports around 50,000 jobs across the UK. That shows how widely the benefits of these newly suspended tariffs will be felt.”
Speaking when the tariffs were first cut, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) called the suspension "fabulous news".
The full cost of external legal advice to the Scottish Parliament’s committee on the Scottish Government’s handling of harassment complaints against Alex Salmond will be revealed after the election, The Scotsman has learned.
The confirmation was revealed as the SNP come under pressure to commit to publishing two separate investigations connected with the scandal.
The Scottish Conservatives are calling for both Laura Dunlop QC’S review into the SNP government’s failings around the judicial review and James Hamilton QC’S investigation on the ministerial code to be released as soon as possible.
After a freedom of information (FOI) request, The Scotsman can reveal the parliament plans to release the full costs of the inquiry after the election in May. Brodies LLP and DLA Piper are the two law firms contracted by the Scottish Parliament to offer support to the harassment complaints committee.
An FOI request revealed that, while Brodies has provided just under £100,000 worth of external legal advice to Holyrood since 2018/19, DLA Piper was hired specifically to provide advice to the Salmond inquiry.
The final cost of both law firms’ involvement has been kept secret before the election because the parliament prefers to release the “full costs” once the parliamentary inquiry is complete.
This is intended to be published within 12 weeks, once “all invoices have been received and finalised”.
Meanwhile, the scottish conservative chief whip Miles Briggs has written to permanent secretary Leslie Evans for assurances both the Dunlop review and the Hamilton report are published ahead of the election.
The letter comes amid concerns from the opposition the SNP may rely on pre-election sensitivity rules to block their publication.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Mr Hamilton is independent and it is a matter from him when his report is complete. The Scottish Government has no control over that timing.
"Once received by the Scottish Government, however, it will be published the same day.
"The report by Laura Dunlop QC will be published next week.”