Question reference: S5W-33573
- Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 26 November 2020
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Current status: Answered by Michael Russell on 10 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many operational readiness meetings it has held in preparation for the UK leaving the EU, and how many times UK Government ministers and officials have been invited to attend.
Answer
The Scottish Government is acutely aware of the limited time remaining before the Transition Period ends and the risks that this poses to our people and businesses. The Scottish Government has been closely managing and responding to those risks in spite of the challenges of steering the nation through a global pandemic. Despite the less than transparent and cooperative approach of the UK Government, we seek to engage with UK Government Ministers and officials on a regular and ongoing basis in preparation for the end of the Transition Period.
A very wide range of meetings relating to operational readiness have taken place within and across portfolio areas, at Ministerial and official level. Readiness for the end of the Transition Period, and other concurrent risks, has been discussed regularly at Cabinet.
These meetings extend to a wide range of discussions at official and Ministerial meetings, bilaterally and multi-laterally, with counterparts in UK Government Departments. In these meetings, the Scottish Government has shared information on its preparations, and has consistently sought stronger engagement with and information-sharing by the UK Government. We remain in favour of further engagement of this kind. Scottish Government Ministers and officials have also been able to share and discuss information on preparations with the UK Government in a number of cross-Government forums.