Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement regarding meeting with the Scottish Brexit Minister, Michael Russell, to discuss the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill recently published by the UK Government? W
Both the Counsel General and I met with the Scottish Minister for Exiting the European Union and the Lord Advocate on 27 July. We discussed our common concerns around the UK Government's European Union (Withdrawal) Bill and its negative impact on the devolution settlements as currently drafted. We discussed possible common approaches and how we might be able to work constructively with the UK Government to develop mutually agreed UK frameworks where there is common consent from both the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations that they are needed. We were, in full agreement that any attempt by the UK Government to impose frameworks or to use EU Withdrawal as an excuse for imposing new constraints on devolved institutions would be strongly resisted.