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Powers to make trade agreements are not currently held by the Scottish Government but are held by the UK which is not able to make any trade agreements whilst it remains a member of the European Union. The Scottish Government’s priority at present is to protect our relationship with Europe and ensure Scotland and the UK remain members of the single market. We are engaging directly with the UK government to achieve those objectives and to protect Scotland's interests. In the meantime, our trade and investment strategy published in March this year set out a comprehensive action plan to boost Scotland’s export activity and to make it clear that Scotland is open for business with Europe and with the rest of the world. Following the Brexit result, engagement has taken place with a number of countries, including Switzerland, Canada, US and Norway to discuss the implications of the result on Scotland on trade and other matters.

The Scottish Government is exploring all options to secure Scotland’s interests, and to protect its relationship with the EU and our place in the single market.

As part of this, the Scottish Government is currently undertaking a range of analyses to understand the potential implications of the UK exiting the EU across various policy areas and scenarios. These draw on Scottish Government in-house work, analysis commissioned by others and advice by its expert Standing Council on Europe.

In the coming weeks the Scottish Government will table specific proposals that would allow Scotland to stay in the single market and to preserve aspects of our relationship with the EU.

The Scottish Government is exploring all options to secure Scotland’s interests, and to protect its relationship with the EU and our place in the single market.

As part of this, the Scottish Government is currently undertaking a range of analyses to understand the potential implications of the UK exiting the EU across various policy areas and scenarios. These draw on Scottish Government in-house work, analysis commissioned by others and advice by its expert Standing Council on Europe.

In the coming weeks the Scottish Government will table specific proposals that would allow Scotland to stay in the single market and to preserve aspects of our relationship with the EU.

Powers to make trade agreements are not currently held by the Scottish Government but are held by the UK which is not able to make any trade agreements whilst it remains a member of the European Union.

The Scottish Government’s priority at present is to protect our relationship with Europe and ensure Scotland and the UK remain members of the single market. We are engaging directly with the UK government to achieve those objectives and to protect Scotland's interests. In the meantime, our trade and investment strategy published in March this year set out a comprehensive action plan to boost Scotland’s export activity and to make it clear that Scotland is open for business with Europe and with the rest of the world.

Following the Brexit result, engagement has taken place with countries within EFTA, EEA, and EU and its institutions to discuss the implications of the result for Scotland on trade and other matters. Scottish Ministers will continue to update the Scottish Parliament on their meetings and engagement plans.

The questions were answered on 21 November 2016.

We estimate that there are 116,000 people employed in the food and drink sector in Scotland. By applying ONS estimates which determine that approximately 30% of the wider UK food and drink sector are other EU citizens then we estimate that a figure of around 35,000 of those are other EU Citizens working in the sector.

I refer the Member to the answer for question S5W-02189 on 21 November 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The following table provides a consolidated response to S5W-02189, S5W-02190 and S5W-02191 answered on 21 November 2016. The increased capital budget in 2015-16 reflects the budget profile for the now completed National Sports Performance Centre, Oriam, at Heriot Watt University.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

I refer the Member to the answer for question S5W-02189 on 21 November 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government will do all it can to protect Scotland’s interests; I met Angela Leadsom on 3 November in Edinburgh and George Eustace on 8 November in Cardiff to emphasise the importance of maintaining appropriate regulations that bring benefits including product value and trade access.