SNP-led Brussels business hub has no Scottish Government envoys

An SNP-led Brussels business hub will open within weeks but there are currently no Scottish Government envoys to do trade deals, The Sunday Post can reveal.

Nicola Sturgeon made much of opening new outposts close to the European Parliament, as well as in Berlin, when she made the announcement to her party’s conference last October.

But despite unveiling her “plans to significantly step up Scotland’s overseas presence” nine months ago, the First Minister has not yet selected any representatives to drum up investment in Europe.

In answer to a parliamentary question by Labour’s Jackie Baillie, Economy Secretary Keith Brown confirmed the envoys “are yet to be appointed”.

Pressed on the EU outposts, he added: “Plans to establish the Berlin hub are currently in development and details will be made available in due course.

“The Scottish Government has had a presence in Brussels since 1999 and the work on developing the Innovation and Investment Hub, building on the current operation, is continuing and will be operational in the autumn of 2017.”

Labour said the fact nothing has yet materialised from the First Minister’s four-point plan was evidence of “empty promises” from the SNP government rather than delivery of economic policy.

Ms Baillie, the party’s economy spokeswoman, said: “Nine months after Nicola Sturgeon promised a network of trade envoys, not one has been appointed, and promised bases in Berlin and Brussels still are not up and running. That simply isn’t good enough.

“Labour has unveiled an industrial strategy that would create high quality jobs, give workers better rights and increase productivity.

“It’s about using the powers of the Scottish Parliament to build an economy for the many, not the few.

“That’s what you get from a party focused on the day job rather than posturing.”

Ms Sturgeon held a 45-minute meeting with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, on Thursday to brief him about Scotland’s priorities in Brussels.

The Scottish Government said its priority is building consensus against an extreme Brexit outside the single market and protecting Scotland’s vital interests. Mr Barnier stressed that negotiations would only be done with the UK government.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said this week that his country will be ready for a trade deal with Britain soon after it leaves the EU.

But he added his government will try to secure an agreement with the Brussels bloc as its first priority.

It follows President Donald Trump saying he expects a US-UK agreement to be completed “very, very quickly” after Brexit. No trade agreements can be formally negotiated before the UK formally withdraws from the EU.

A spokesman for Mr Brown said: “These trade hubs will be delivered, as we pledged.

“But Scotland’s international trade, investment and jobs are all threatened by the Tories’ extreme Brexit plans to rip us out of the world’s biggest single market – plans which, disgracefully, Labour are supporting.”