European Union (Benefits of Membership)

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 9 March 2016.

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Photo of Richard Lyle Richard Lyle Scottish National Party

5. To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the benefits to Scotland are of the UK’s membership of the EU. (S4O-05630)

Photo of Humza Yousaf Humza Yousaf Scottish National Party

There are many benefits from Scotland and the United Kingdom being in the European Union. I will not rehearse the economic arguments, which have been well made. We can sometimes lose sight of the fact that many protections, including social protections in particular, benefit us in Scotland. They include the right to maternity pay, the right to paternity pay, the right not to be forced to work for more than 48 hours a week, and the right not to be discriminated against because of gender, race or any other factor. Those benefits are also very important.

The benefits from independent countries being able to come together to take on some of the most difficult global challenges that we face as a continent are also important. Those challenges go from climate change right the way through to the global refugee crisis.

Therefore, there are many benefits. There are economic and social benefits, and benefits from coming together collectively to tackle some of the world’s most difficult challenges.

Photo of Richard Lyle Richard Lyle Scottish National Party

Last Sunday, I watched Boris Johnson MP, the mayor of London, on the television debating why the UK should leave the EU. His comments during that show reinforced my belief in voting to stay in the EU. In light of the comments that the Brexit campaign is making, what would the Scottish Government’s position be and what action would it possibly take if England voted to leave the European Union?

Photo of Humza Yousaf Humza Yousaf Scottish National Party

I do not focus much on what Boris Johnson has to say, but what I have heard thus far from the leave campaign has been very negative. We have also seen that from elements of the remain campaign. The Scottish Government will look to make a very positive case about why not only Scotland but the rest of the United Kingdom should vote to stay in the European Union.

We have been asked about a number of constitutional hypotheticals, and we have commented on what would happen if Scotland stayed in the European Union, as polls tend to indicate. We will not be complacent about that. We will work hard to ensure that that is the case, but I have said that, if the rest of the UK voted to leave the EU, the situation would be democratically indefensible, and the First Minister is right to say that that might well precipitate demand for a second Scottish independence referendum.