Commenting on the First Minister’s statement in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, Liz Cameron OBE, Director and Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said:

“The business community is looking for stability and certainty from the Scottish and UK Governments, and a commitment to focus on the priorities for business and our economy. The First Minister’s new plan will enable an opportunity for Scotland’s politicians of all parties to focus on two clear objectives – to ensure that Scotland and the UK get the best deal possible from Brexit, and for the Scottish Parliament to deliver the improvements to skills, taxation, infrastructure and connectivity that we need here in Scotland.

“We support the First Minister’s call for the Scottish Government to play a full and integral role in the Brexit negotiations, and we also want to see wider Scottish interests, including our business community, represented in this.

“We don’t yet know what Brexit will look like, and our understanding of the terms of the final agreement will define the business and public response. At that point, there will no doubt be a time of public reflection in Scotland, and indeed throughout the UK, to consider the way forward.”