Debate: Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union

That the Parliament notes the legislative consent memorandum on the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill lodged by the Scottish Government on 29 December 2020; considers that, while a no deal outcome must be avoided, the Future Relationship Agreements negotiated by the UK Government would cause severe damage to Scotland’s environmental, economic and social interests; regrets that, unless the UK Government follows the EU approach of provisional ratification, the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill will receive severely limited scrutiny in the UK Parliament, with very little time given to parliamentarians in the UK Parliament and devolved legislatures across the UK, failing to recognise the significance of the agreement and failing to respect the important role of the Scottish Parliament in scrutinising legislation requiring its legislative consent; therefore does not consent to the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill, and calls on the UK Government to seek a pause in current implementation while special arrangements are made to take account of these difficulties for Scotland and for the many others that will become apparent as the Bill is more fully considered.