“Brand Scotland” is being damaged by EU border delays and Tory Ministers are “in denial” about the effects of Brexit on the Scottish fishing industry, MPs have heard.
A senior representative of the industry spelled out the problems they have faced since customs checks were introduced on live seafood exports at New Year.
MPs on the Scottish Affairs committee heard that the fishing industry is losing £1 million a day in lost exports and that continental markets may be permanently lost.
James Withers, of Scottish Food and Drink, said “catastrophic” decisions on the last-minute UK Brexit trade deal had worked against the industry.
He said: “The UK is the only country ever to impose economic sanctions on itself, that is how it feels for a lot of businesses. I think the biggest single challenge we have just now is denial, from the UK Government in particular, of the scale of the problem.”
Withers added: “We have ended up with a trading regime that is costly, slow and prone to breakdown at best.”
Elaine White and Jimmy Buchan, representing fishing boats and seafood exporters, said markets and reputations were being lost.
Buchan, chief executive of the Scottish Seafood Association said: ”Brand Scotland is being damaged here.”
”I know there is high politics but we have to understand small communities and small businesses are suffering. It is not teething problems it is bureaucratic problems and we need to get them resolved.”
Buchan suggested that an EU customs post be established in Scotland so that paperwork could be dealt with before lorries set off for Kent and the channel ports with live seafood.
MPs also heard of delays at Larkhall, where health certificates are issued for loads but none wanted to criticise the inspectors working at the site
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross MP, a committee member, claimed the Scottish government had spent only 75 per cent of the £200 million allocated by the UK Treasury on Brexit preparations. But Withers said lack of time, not investment, was the issue.
Withers told MPs that “pleas” to the UK Government for a grace period on post-Brexit trading arrangements to avoid the delays “fell on deaf ears”.
He said: “And unfortunately it’s a very predictable outcome of trying to test the multibillion-pound new trading system in real time in the midst of a pandemic.”
He added: “The industry asked, pleaded, for a grace period, and that plea really fell on deaf ears, we feel.”
Withers said UK Government compensation package of £23 million and a Scottish government promise of £7 million of support were welcome.
However, he added: “They are a sticking plaster at best, the seafood business is losing £1 million a day.”
