A NEW trade deal between the UK and Japan sets an “unwelcome precedent”, a Scottish Government minister warned, as he pointed out that the devolved administrations had little input.

Scottish Trade Minister Ivan McKee said the Scottish Government needs to “examine the fine print” of the new agreement to ensure it is in the country’s interests.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss confirmed the deal, which could boost trade by an estimated £15 billion.

Scotland Office Minister David Duguid said: “This will be a real boost for businesses in Scotland.

“Last year, businesses in Scotland exported goods worth more than £503 million to Japan. Scotland’s world-famous products, including Scottish wild salmon, Scotch beef and lamb – and of course Scotch whisky – are set to get a significant export boost from this agreement.”

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Tokyo has also guaranteed market access for UK malt exports under a more generous quota than that with the EU, as well as tariff reductions for UK pork, beef and salmon exports.

But McKee said: “The fact that the UK Government is having to spend so much time and energy trying to replicate the advantages of EU membership underlines what Scotland has lost by being taken out of the EU against its will.”

He said that despite “repeated requests to the UK Government, there has been a lack of comprehensive engagement with ourselves and the other devolved administrations during the negotiation of this deal”.

As a result, he said: “We will need to examine the fine print to ensure that it meets the needs of Scottish companies and protects our interests.”

The Trade Minister added that the deal sets “an unwelcome precedent for future deals”.