THE Scotch Whisky Association has underlined its commitment to work with the Scottish Government for the broader economic good, declaring such collaboration is particularly important amid the uncertainty arising from last month’s Brexit vote.
The industry body noted that its chief executive, David Frost, had met with rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing this month to discuss “current challenges and opportunities”.
The SWA had voiced strong support for remaining in the EU, ahead of the UK electorate’s vote on June 23 to leave the free trade bloc.
Mr Frost, describing his meeting with Mr Ewing as “very worthwhile” and highlighting plans for further meetings, said: “I welcome the Scottish Government’s intention to consult consistently with the Scotch whisky industry, so that we can both work to support the wider economy and sustain jobs during this uncertain period. Such dialogue is particularly important as Brexit negotiations begin, so I am glad we agreed to meet on a regular basis.”
Mr Ewing said: “We remain focused on pursuing all available options to keep Scotland in the EU, and that means working closely with vital industries like the whisky sector to ensure that we seek to protect their and Scotland’s interests. We are looking to develop a regular dialogue with the industry to find solutions and answers as we navigate this uncharted territory.”
The SWA has calculated that more than 7,000 workers in the Scotch whisky industry are employed in rural communities.
It said: “Such collaboration between industry and government is particularly important during such a time of change brought about by the outcome of the EU referendum.”
And the SWA declared that Scotch whisky was “a key competitive strength for the Scottish economy and in particular its exports”.
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