(Mid Scotland and Fife)
(Con):...The UK plans for all future trade deals to go
through extensive public consultation, including with the devolved
Administrations, before then needing Parliament’s approval in order
for them to be ratified. In case there is any doubt, that means
that the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government will have
a say in the approach to negotiations throughout the consultation
period and the entire negotiation process.
That said, it is important to stress
that there are few distinct interests for Scotland in trade
policy from those of the rest of the UK. The international trade
interests of Scottish farmers will be very similar to the
interests of farmers in East Anglia; the interests of
Scottish manufacturers will be the same as those of manufacturers
in other parts of the UK, such as the midlands of England; and
the interests of exporters of food and drink or anything else in
Scotland, will be very similar to those of exporters in Wales or
Northern Ireland...
(Glasgow Shettleston)
(SNP):..I accept that there are challenges
in relation to getting the balance right in this area. It seems
that, under EU regulation, we have been largely unable to favour
local suppliers over cheaper imports, and many of us have not
always been comfortable with that. We have been allowed to have
arrangements in relation to fair trade products, which has
effectively enabled Scottish, UK and EU consumers to choose to
pay a premium to ensure that farmers and others in the
developing world get paid a decent wage. On that point, I
disagree with , because, sometimes, free
trade drives down wages in the developing world...
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