A SCOTTISH Government minister has claimed that the UK’s negotiations with the EU over fisheries would not have hit a brick wall had officials from Edinburgh been allowed to take part in discussions.
Fergus Ewing told Holyrood’s rural economy and connectivity committee that Michael Gove has ignored his pleas for Scottish Government officials to contribute to discussions with Brussels – warning that “high promises that were made in the referendum haven’t been delivered”.
The Conservatives said the claims were a "smokescreen" for keeping Scottish fishermen were tied to EU rules.
Mr Ewing also claimed that Mr Gove has given him a “personal assurance” that the UK Government will pay out any Brexit-related costs, pointing to £15 million of additional costs for farmers for environmental health certificates.
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He said: “Our disappointment is that the high promises that were made in the referendum haven’t been delivered and the negotiations that started many months ago haven’t actually achieved anything.
“Nothing has been delivered at the moment and there are many, many concerns in the fishing communities around the coast of Scotland about the possibility of a Brexit no deal.”
Mr Ewing suggested that "there continues to be no progress on fishing negotiations" and warned that the UK Government "seemingly can't deliver what they promsied".
He added: "My officials are effectively being asked to work with a blindfold on.
"Perhaps if our offer of participation in negotiations had been accepted, more progress might have been made by now."
The Rural Economy Secretary told MSPs that he has repeatedly asked Mr Gove whether Allan Gibb from the Scottish Government's sea fisheries department, could sit in on negotiations with the EU.
He said: “Repeatedly, I personally have asked that the UK Government allow Allan Gibb and his team to play a direct part in the negotiations.
“I said ‘Michael, allow our guys to be there for part of the negotiations’. He said he would take it away and I haven’t heard anything since.
“It’s most unfortunate that the UK Government has not allowed us to play a part in the negotiations. Maybe they would have done better had they agreed.”
Mr Ewing was asked whether the Scottish Government would make any extra funding available for fishing and agriculture sectors in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
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He said: “Any Brexit costs should, in our view, because Brexit is a UK policy not Scottish Government policy, be met by the UK Government.
“Michael Gove gave a personal assurance that would be the case in one of the inter-ministerial meetings that I attended some time ago now.”
He added: “I would expect the UK to meet these costs. One of the costs to agriculture, for example, will be environmental health certificates.
“The estimate that I recall was that this could lead to up to £15 million a year in additional bureaucracy for certificates as a result of a no-deal.
“The real worries in fisheries are not only in additional costs and tariffs but also the worry about increased bureaucracy and delays of sending perishable goods to continental Europe.”
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Mundell said: "This is a total smokescreen designed to distract from SNP plans to trap our fishermen in the CFP (common fisheries policy) forever.
“When it comes to future negotiations it is increasingly clear Fergus Ewing and his colleagues will put EU interests before those of Scottish fishermen.”
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