Meeting of the Parliament 08 December 2016
That is very timely, because I was going to go on to welcome some of the commentary around that, but also to reflect on the fact that the UK Government and the Westminster Parliament also need to fully respect the agreements that have been reached in that regard.
As the First Minister has made clear, the Scottish Government recognises that proper parliamentary scrutiny is a key element of the Brexit process. I am aware that the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe has been keeping relevant committees informed of those meetings. I have been doing the same, as finance minister, to ensure that relevant committees are informed of all relevant joint exchequer committee meetings, quadrilaterals and trilaterals.
We are not complacent; so much so that our officials are working with the Parliament’s clerks to develop guidance material to raise awareness across the Scottish Government of the need to comply with the written agreement, and to encourage Scottish Government officials to consider any implications of their day-to-day work. We look forward to continuing our work with Parliament.
16:41