Three
members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Exiting the European
Union visited Cornwall.
If you would like to watch the whole of the proceedings click HERE but below are some of the highlights of the evidence they were given
by the Council and other stakeholders like the National Union of
Farmers:
1. The Council leadership is looking to Wales for advice.
2. Brexit Opportunity:getting Government money without EU constraints on its use but who knows how much money.
3.
Cornwall is worried that Dept of Local Government has introduced a 'value
for money' test and is asking the Council to underwrite schemes for
which the Govt provides cash.
4.Cornwall will not benefit from £350m of EU funds in 2020 to 2027 but see 2 and 3 above.
5 . Fishing : 92% of catch is exported. So very important to get a tariff free deal.
6. Brexit opportunity : Staycations have increased due to fall in value of sterling.
7.Council
worried about uneven standard of hotel accommodation in Cornwall. Some
German tourists stay in Torbay and make forays into Cornwall. Constraint
on tourism.
8.Brexit opportunity : have a bespoke farming subsidy scheme.
9.Council
considering a regional immigration deal for Cornwall (as are London
and Scotland) to avoid labour shortages in farming, food processing, IT,
research (and also to encourage foreign students).
10.
World Trade tariff rules no good for Cornwall which has 6% GVA in
agriculture and food processing. (eg 40% on UK lamb exports).
11. Brexit has had a negative effect on investment in Cornwall.
12. Brexit opportunity : integrate rules to promote agriculture with rules to protect the environment.
13.
Brexit opportunity : make rules less complex but there may be
unintended consequences and we will still be affected by EU rules and
ideally want to influence them.
14. New markets are there but say, out of £300m per annum sheep exports, £280m currently goes to EU. Hard to replace.
15. Worries about future name protection of Cornish pasty and clotted cream etc.
16. Worries agriculture may be sidelined in bespoke trade deals as tiny part of total export values (2% with fishing /forestry?)
17.
Worries no level playing field for agriculture as some other markets
have different standards eg US market is less stringent about
antibiotics use and growth hormones.
18. Some evidence of software companies considering relocating to EU but sounded very anecdotal.
19.
The Cornwall Isles of Scilly Futures Group has written a paper
'Catalyst for Change' and is determined to make the most of the Brexit
opportunities.
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