Oral Answers to Questions

Douglas Chapman Excerpts

Wednesday 24th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Douglas Chapman (Dunfermline and West Fife) (SNP)]

5. Whether he has made a recent assessment of the impact of import and export requirements following the UK’s exit from the EU on Scottish businesses. [R]

[Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP)]

12. Whether he has made a recent assessment of the impact of import and export requirements following the UK’s exit from the EU on Scottish businesses.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (John Lamont)]

The latest official figures speak for themselves and show sustained increases in both the import and export of goods between Scotland and the EU, with healthy results for services too.

[Douglas Chapman]

The Brexit pain continues, with £140 billion wiped off the UK economy and more regulation making it tough for exporters. Relative to similarly sized countries, Scotland’s exports are under real pressure. Two themes in the First Minister’s industrial strategy were to become an independent nation and to rejoin the EU. All the evidence points to the fact that that is the correct course of action, does it not?

[John Lamont]

No, it does not. Scotland continues to punch above its weight in exports, goods and services and foreign direct investment. Trade is now well above pre-Brexit levels.