50 things you need to know about Brexit ... but were afraid to ask

We have compiled 50 issues, some of them already raised by politicians and pundits, some by experts in various fields, many of them asked by ordinary people, and some set by ourselves. These are only the first 50 items. We are sure that there are many, many more …

1. COURTS: There are legal challenges suggesting Parliament’s approval may be needed to trigger Article 50. In court, the UK Government will have to state the legal advice and the constitutional basis on which it is proceeding with the Brexit negotiations.

2. PARLIAMENT: The UK Government may lose the cases, in which case both Houses of Parliament would need to act to fix the situation on Brexit. Whether the elected and unelected members would do so is a moot point.

3. REPEALING: In order for Brexit to proceed, numerous Acts of Parliament will need to be repealed and/or altered. The UK Government, the devolved governments, the House of Commons and the House of Lords will need to approve that massive tranche of de-legislation.

4. NEGOTIATIONS: The initial reaction from the EU leadership is that there will be no informal negotiations before Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is triggered. The UK Government may still attempt to have such negotiations but the EU has to allow them.

5. START: The date of triggering Article 50 is absolutely crucial. Brexit negotiations must be completed within two years of that date. Given the widespread business and political uncertainty, the UK Government must say when the process begins or risk seriously damaging the economy.

6. MEPs: Brexit will require the UK to withdraw from the European Parliament, and will cost the jobs of 73 MEPs, such as Nigel Farage, and their staff. The UK Government has yet to say whether it will pay the redundancy costs.

7. CIVIL SERVANTS: The EU also employs UK citizens as civil servants and advisers. The UK Government needs to either guarantee their continued employment or meet their redundancy/redeployment costs.

8. MINISTERS: The creation of the Department of Brexit and the relationships between ministers and the policies of those in charge of negotiating Brexit needs to be exactly stated.

9. NEGOTIATORS: The negotiating team, ie civil servants, current or past politicians and "experts": the UK Government must say who they are, and say how Scotland will be represented on that team.

10. SINGLE MARKET: It has been suggested that the UK Government will negotiate to stay in the single market, but numerous EU leaders maintain that will require free movement of persons. A very serious dilemma.

11. DEALS: Like Switzerland, the UK Government may decide to stay out of the EEA but seek deals with the EU. There needs to be details, and soon, of exactly what trade and movement deals will be negotiated with the EU and other countries around the world.

12. TTIP: Given ministers’ previous enthusiasm for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership being negotiated by the European Commission, it must be presumed that the UK Government wants to be involved in it.

13. IRELAND: It would seem logical that the Common Travel Area allowing free movement between Northern Ireland, the Republic and the UK will continue. But will it?

14. ECHR: Prime Minister May has repeatedly stated that the UK Government must repudiate the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and repeal the Human Rights Act. Neither of which has anything to do with the EU.

15. CONTROL: The UK Government must delineate exactly what "control" it is taking back, and when and how.

16. ECONOMY: The UK Government must be absolutely sure about what will happen to the economy, and say so.

17. STATE AID: The EU disallows state aid to industries. Will that Thatcherite policy continue?

18. TAX: The UK Government must give an assurance that there will be no tax rises or cuts to public services to pay for Brexit.

19. BANKS: The Financial Passport system that enables the City and our banks such as RBS to trade freely throughout Europe must continue after Brexit. How?

20. ENVIRONMENT: Will the UK Government be ready to adhere to the "green" and climate change targets set by the EU?

21. PROTECTED STATUS: EU law gives Protected Geographical Status to products such as Arbroath Smokies, Stornoway Black Pudding and Welsh Lamb. Outside the EU their status is not guaranteed.

22. COMPENSATION: The UK Government must surely pay compensation to individuals, small business and those industries such as financial services that will undoubtedly face extra costs after Brexit.

23. CAP: Will the UK Government pay farmers the subsidies they would have got from the Common Agricultural Policy?

24. FISHERIES: The UK will pull out of EU fishing arrangements. If no fresh deals can be made, will the UK Government install a territorial limit of three, 12 or 200 mile round our shores, and will it enforce those new limits by military force if necessary?

25. FUNDS: The European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund give grants across the UK, and the Government must promise it will make up the difference.

26. RED TAPE: Businesses complain of too much EU red tape. The UK Government says it will remove this red tape, but how much will go?

27. RESEARCH: The UK has won more EU funds for science and medical research than any other EU country. The UK Government must make good any future shortfall.

28. CERN: The UK Government contributes to CERN and other projects that are EU-funded but not EU-controlled. Will that continue?

29. EMISSIONS: The EU has set mandatory targets for reducing car emissions. The UK Government must abide by them or set new targets of its own.

30. FOOD: EU food standards are said to be the best and safest in the world. Will the UK continue to adhere to them?

31. RETENTION: The UK Government must say what strategy it has to retain in the UK those companies that say they need to be part of the EU to operate.

32. NHS: There are shortages of staff across the NHS, especially in England and Wales. If EU citizens are stopped from coming here to work for the NHS – there are more than 30,000 doing so at the moment – the UK Government must say where the replacements will come from.

33. FRANCHISES: Several rail franchises in the UK are now owned by EU companies, such as Abellio and Keolis. The UK Government must give absolute assurances that these companies and their EU native staff will be able to continue operating.

34. EU RESIDENTS: EU nationals resident here are not guaranteed the right to continue their life here. The UK Government is being very slow on assuring people they are absolutely secure here.

35. VITAL RESIDENTS: Many EU citizens living here are in jobs that are vital to their companies. Logically, the UK Government must envisage those companies replacing those people.

36. EX-PATS: UK expatriates resident in the EU must be safe and secure in the EU post-Brexit.

37. HEALTH INSURANCE: The European Health Insurance Card system must continue for UK travellers.

38. STUDENTS: The Government must have plans to assist UK students hoping to study in the EU.

39. COMMUNICATION: EU directives guarantee privacy of online communication. These protections must be replicated in English and Scots law.

40. RIGHTS: The European Charter of Fundamental Rights includes many social and economic rights, such as the rights to fair and just working conditions and to healthcare. The UK is a signatory – will it remain so?

41. EUROPEAN COUNCIL: Since no-one is proposing that the UK leaves the Council of Europe, UK citizens, businesses and organisations continue to have rights to approach the council’s various bodies such as the Court of Human Rights.

42. TWINNING: Many towns and cities across the UK have town twinning arrangements with EU partners. The UK Government must say soon what will happen to these.

43. CULTURE: The year 2023 has already been designated by the EU as the next year in which a British city can become Capital of Culture. Dundee is the only Scottish city that has indicated a bid so far.

44. EXCHANGES: As we approach the Edinburgh Festivals season, the UK Government must give a guarantee that cultural exchanges between the UK and EU, ranging from fashion weeks to theatre festivals, will be able to continue as before.

45. SPORTS: There are plenty of EU sportspeople living and playing in the UK, some of them paying rather a lot of tax. The UK Government must guarantee sport will be exempt from Brexit implications.

46. LIES: The people of Scotland were told by various ministers and Government representatives that the only way to guarantee Scotland staying in the EU was to vote No in the 2014 referendum.

47. INDYREF2: Given the material change of circumstances, the Scottish Government has a pre-indicated mandate to call a second independence referendum, so the UK Government will have to either oppose or support a temporary transfer of powers under Section 30 of the Scotland Act to allow the Scottish Government to organise a second referendum.

48. BUSINESS LOSS: The UK Government must compensate all firms for any loss of business attributed to Brexit.

49. TRIDENT: Many Scots oppose nuclear weapons, the single biggest defence issue of modern times. Given the UK Parliament’s decision to start Trident 2, how will the post-Brexit economy afford it?

50. THE UNION: Many Scots do not accept that the EU is perfect, but Scotland distinctly voted for Remain by a far larger margin than voted No in 2014. The future of the UK may depend on how the Brexit process goes. Discuss.