The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 1830 contributions
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
You mentioned the mutual recognition agreement with Canada. Does it give you hope that the EU might be open to such an agreement, given the fact that prior to our leaving the EU, we had mutual recognition with it? Does it give you hope?
My daughter-in-law studied at the Glasgow School of Art as part of the seven years that she studied to be an architect. There is no doubt about the veracity and the quality of the qualifications. Are you optimistic that mutual recognition appears to be achievable?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
Can you think of any reasons why that would not be achievable?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
Good point. The UK recognises European qualifications—
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
Okay. That is very interesting.
Joseph Maguire, I have one question for you, which is on data flows. When we left the EU, it was thought that we would have massive disruption in data flows, data processing centres and all the rest of it. What is your experience? What is the anecdotal experience with regards to that ability to exchange information across borders with the EU?
10:30Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
This is a hugely important aspect for the running of any economy now. Data is the oil, as it were, of the 21st century in this respect. Since we left the EU, has the exchange of information and data flows between us and the EU been impeded in, for example, the field that you are in—academia?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
I was interested to hear what Ben Addy alluded to in his earlier comments. You said that you had EU staff working with you and now you do not have any. Why? Presumably they were here before we left the EU and they had all the same rights afterwards. Why did they decide to go home?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
Is that now, or was that the case before we left the EU? Was it rare before as well?
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
It has always been a reality, of course, in any given economic structure that small organisations with fewer resources will find things a bit more difficult.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
That is the give-and-take of trade generally, but the key point that I am trying to get to is whether there been major disruption in the flow of data and information in your particular field. I do not want to lead the witness, because that is against all the protocols, but I do not hear any obstacles. It seems to have gone better than everyone thought that it would.
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee [Draft]
Meeting date: 5 December 2024
Stephen Kerr
There are no legal impediments, though?