David Mundell meets Scottish business leaders following the EU referendum.
Team UK must come together to get the best deal for Scotland.
David Mundell is meeting leaders of Scottish businesses to offer UK Government support and engagement following the EU referendum.
The meeting in Edinburgh today (Tuesday 05 July) includes representatives from retail, food and drink and finance. They come together to share their thoughts and aspirations as the country prepares to negotiate its departure from the EU.
The Secretary of State will be setting out the government’s plans for the creation of a specialist EU unit to tackle complex issues like trade treaties and legal agreements when he meets representatives from leading Scottish businesses, as well as CBI Scotland and the Institute of Directors.
He will assure them that the UK Government will build on the strong economic foundations it has put in place and aim to keep our vibrant economy on track.
The Secretary of State said:
Now is the time for us to work together, as Team UK, to face up to the new realities of our position and to achieve collectively the best possible outcome for everyone in the country.
Clearly we must negotiate for the best possible access to an EU export market worth £11.6 billion to Scottish exports. But we must not lose sight of the market closer to home, worth four times that.
The UK is still open for investment and trade, and we remain committed to making the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business.
The Secretary of State made it clear that government and business need to get the best deal for Scotland in these negotiations. Over the coming months business and the UK government will work more closely together than ever before.
Today’s meeting is the first of a series of events that the UK Government will be holding in Scotland across the summer.