Mike Russell tells UK Government: 'If you send Brexit analysis to us we will make it public'

The Scottish Government will publish any Brexit analysis it receives from the UK Government, Scotland’s Brexit Minister has warned.

Mike Russell welcomed the UK Government’s suggestion that it would share its analysis with the devolved administrations, but warned “if you send the analysis to us we will make it public”.

A Department for Exiting the EU (DEXEU) impact analysis, leaked to Buzzfeed, suggested that the UK will be worse off under every possible outcome from leaving the EU. 

It forecast a two per cent drop in growth over a 15-year period if Britain stays in the single market and customs union, a five percent drop with a comprehensive free trade agreement, and an eight precent drop if there is “no deal”.

Every sector of the British economy will suffer due to Brexit - the only exception being farming if the Government opts to adopt World Trade Organisation rules, it said.

The City of London will be affected even if a free trade deal is agreed and all regions of the UK are likely to suffer, it added.

Russell and Welsh Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford met with peers earlier this week to highlight the EU Withdrawal Bill’s potential impact on devolved powers.

Robin Walker, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DEXEU, has pledged to share the analysis with the Scottish Government — but Russell told him the public also has a right to see it.

Russell said: “Mr Walker made it clear yesterday afternoon that the UK Government does intend to make this information available to the devolved administrations, as you did with the previous reports following my representation. I welcome this. 

“Mr Walker further clarified that it would be a matter for the devolved administrations to ensure that such documents are handled with appropriate confidentiality, but would have no objection in principle to their being shared with members of the devolved legislatures on the same basis as was previously shared with MPs.

“As you are aware the Scottish Government considers that the public have a right to know the impact on jobs and living standards of the UK Government’s decision to pursue the UK’s exit from the EU and therefore that this analysis should be made publicly available. 

“Further, this is not our analysis and we do not see it as our responsibility to make arrangements on confidential handling. I want to be clear that if you send the analysis to us we will make it public.”