The Scottish Government says it has not seen the new deal on fisheries with the EU, expected to be unveiled today.
Wide-ranging “reset” talks between the UK and EU are believed to cover fisheries, with Brussels demanding expanded access and management of British fishing waters.
While international negotiations are reserved to the UK Government, agriculture and fisheries are devolved to Scotland.
However, STV News understands the Scottish Government has not been briefed on negotiations or the content of any draft deal.
Talks between UK and EU negotiators went on late into Sunday night ahead of a summit today, when Prime Minister Keir Starmer and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to sign off a deal aimed at improving post-Brexit trade terms.
The deal is also expected to include a youth mobility scheme, and deeper cooperation on defence and military procurement.
But there has been concern in the fishing industry about concessions being considered by UK ministers to secure a deal.
A Scottish Government source said a briefing on talks was requested last week, but was not provided by the UK Government.
It is understood that several recent scheduled meetings between UK and Scottish ministers to discuss fisheries have not gone ahead.
EU member states are regularly briefed by officials on the status of negotiations.
Following his election last year, Keir Starmer said he had “reset” relations with the Scottish Government. Referring to that comment, a Scottish Government source said: “So much for the reset.”
The cabinet secretary for the constitution and external affairs Angus Robertson posted on X: “UK Govt has agreed a fisheries (devolved) deal with EU in principle, without any recourse, involvement or approval of Devolved Admins.
“Scottish Government received no documentation or draft proposals in advance. I asked UK minister last week for this. Nothing received.
“Reset?”
Breakthrough in talks with EU as Starmer seeks reset deal
Government sources said “huge progress” has been made in agreeing “a mutually beneficial deal with the EU” that would “deliver for British working people”.
They insisted the Prime Minister has been “clear that he will only agree a deal which delivers in the national interest of the United Kingdom”.
Both Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage have already described the deal as a “surrender”, despite the details not yet being known, and indicated they would tear it up if they came to power.
Youth mobility could prove a major sticking point for the Opposition, and Badenoch said she fears it will involve a return to free movement “by the back door”.
The Tories have also set out a series of “red lines” on fishing rights, including ensuring exclusive access to Britain’s territorial sea and resisting “a multi-year agreement which only benefits France”.
Shadow environment minister Victoria Atkins said: “The Conservatives have always stood up for our coastal communities, and our fishing industries.
“Labour must not throw our fishing rights overboard in their desperation to bail out their failing fiscal policies.”
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats said Britain should not to be “dragged back” to “the Brexit wars of the past”, with leader Sir Ed Davey comparing Badenoch and Farage to “dinosaurs fighting old battles”.
He said: “Keir Starmer must be bold and ambitious for our country in today’s summit. Voters were promised change by this Government, and they have to deliver.
“Being truly ambitious, including a new UK-EU customs union, would be the single biggest thing ministers could do to boost public finances.
“Anything less would be a choice to limit growth, harming living standards and hitting the NHS and other public services.”
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