Hansard

I thank the convener of the European and External Relations Committee, Christina McKelvie, for setting out the conclusions of the committee’s report.

Before I go into the detail of that report, it would be remiss of me, in the context of a debate about the EU, not to begin by expressing the Scottish Government’s heartfelt and sincere condolences in relation to the dreadful drownings that have taken place in the Mediterranean over the past few weeks. The Scottish Government’s resolve to play a constructive role in helping those who are being smuggled in that way has got stronger. It is an issue that the Scottish Government and the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, have been involved in speaking out on for a long time, not just in recent months. We hope that, as a multilateral institution, the EU can come together. We must not turn a blind eye to people who are among the most vulnerable in the world. We must ensure that we do all that we can to help and support them. Above all, it is a humanitarian issue.

I very much welcome the committee’s report, particularly its observation that many of the Parliament’s committees have mainstreamed consideration of EU issues into their existing work programmes. In last month’s Government debate on the importance of EU engagement, I made it clear that such engagement is important not just as a means of influencing the rules and regulations that are made in the EU but because the EU itself is a

“a marketplace for exchanging ideas and for showcasing areas in which Scotland can display leadership.”—[Official Report, 17 March 2015; c 11.]

Indeed, there are areas in which Scotland can learn from others.

I formally acknowledge the important work that the committee has undertaken of late and, like the convener, I thank those behind the scenes, such as the committee clerks, who get the committee to run extremely smoothly and efficiently. Of course, its work includes last year’s inquiry into the Scottish Government’s proposals for an independent Scotland. We can all agree that, whatever side of the fence people were on, it was important for the debate to be had and for the proposals to receive our committees’ full and considered scrutiny. The Government will continue to co-operate closely with the committee’s connecting Scotland inquiry.

I also welcome the committee’s more recent report on TTIP, which the committee convener reflected on and the findings of which align with the Government’s own views. Transparency will be critical with regard to the TTIP negotiations. As the committee itself heard, there are different views on TTIP’s possible economic benefits, and we are clear that if there any benefits they should not come at the expense of the national health service or other public services or, indeed, the right of Governments to regulate. That is why the Scottish Government has pressed firmly and strongly for an explicit exemption for the NHS, and it is not convinced that the investor state dispute settlement mechanism is necessary.

I am encouraged by the fact that other committees’ work programmes contain items that have EU issues at their core, including important work on the roll-out of the new common agricultural policy and common fisheries policy packages. In that respect, I think that the simplification agenda will be key.

The Commission’s EU 2020 strategy, which has already been mentioned and which seeks to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, chimes very closely with the Scottish Government’s own programme for government and our refreshed economic strategy, with their key themes of tackling unemployment and reducing income inequality. For the past four years, Scotland has produced its own national reform programme report as well as contributing to the UK Government’s report. Those reports provide a sense of Scotland’s performance against some of the key targets in the EU 2020 strategy with regard to employment, reducing poverty and cutting the number of early school leavers. Our 2015 report, which we will publish after the UK general election, has been informed by the successful stakeholder event that we held in Edinburgh in March.

Last month, I visited the WEST brewery in my Glasgow region. I am sure that many colleagues will be familiar with that fantastic company, which not only is a great success story in itself but represents why we are so proud of our engagement as members of the EU. The brewery is owned by a German national, Petra Wetzel, who came to study in Scotland and then went on to start her brewing business. Her staff now include half a dozen EU nationals, and the company’s craft beer is brewed according to a 1519 German purity law. I believe that all those components underscore the importance of freedom of movement and freedom of travel.

While I was at the WEST brewery, I launched the Scottish Government’s action plan for EU engagement, which refreshes the original action plan that was launched in 2009. As the convener helpfully pointed out, the action plan has four key areas, and I will go into each in a bit more detail.

First of all, we want to remain a committed partner and to make the case for our place in Europe. I believe that there is a consensus in this chamber for the UK and, of course, Scotland to remain members of the EU for the business, social, cultural and educational and academic benefits that membership brings.

Secondly, we will continue to promote effective and meaningful EU reform within the existing treaty framework. Key to that is ensuring that the EU institutions pursue an agenda that genuinely adds value and which addresses some of the EU-wide problems that member states acting on their own cannot address. That is why we welcome the Commission’s focus on tackling things such as stubbornly high youth unemployment, promoting energy security through the energy union package and tackling climate change.

The third area of the action plan centres on active participation in the EU in order to secure investment, innovation and inclusive growth. I can go into that more in my closing speech.

Fourthly, we are committed to strengthening our European partnerships—and we will do that. We will continue to work to deepen our bilateral relationships with countries including Germany, France, the Nordic and Baltic countries, Ireland and Poland.

The action plan is currently on a digital platform, which allows it to evolve and be updated. It captures life-real case studies, and I hope that members have had a chance to look at it.

I was pleased to read that the European and External Relations Committee

“asked committees to identify their priorities for 2015-16 from the Europe 2020 Strategy ... the European Commission’s work programme”

and

“the Scottish Government’s Action Plan on European Engagement”.

Members will be in no doubt, of course, about our position on an EU in/out referendum. We will passionately advocate the benefits of being part of Europe. We do not agree with the necessity of having an EU in/out referendum, but if it happens, we hope that the UK Government, whichever form it may take on 7 May—or 8 May—will look at our proposals for a double majority.

The Scottish Government is very much committed to anchoring its own economic strategy firmly to the EU’s growth agenda in delivering sustainable and smart but fair economic growth.