UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss visits Cardhu Distillery and Johnston's of Elgin on Moray trip
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UK Trade Secretary Liz Truss visited Moray today after the announcement last week that the United States has suspended tariffs on exports including Scotch whisky and cashmere.
Ms Truss visited Johnston’s of Elgin and the Cardhu distillery, a week after the UK and US agreed to work on a solution to a trade dispute between the EU and the US over subsidies for aircraft makers Airbus and Boeing.
The US recently suspended tariffs on British products for the next four months in the hope that the dispute can be resolved in that time.
MORE: US suspends tarriffs on whisky.
Moray's MP Douglas Ross was in Elgin to welcome the UK Cabinet Minister to Moray.
He said: “It was great to see the Secretary of State for Trade in Moray to toast the suspension of these damaging tariffs on some of the region’s most iconic products.
“Businesses like Johnston’s of Elgin and Cardhu were severely impacted by these extra charges on exports.
“I know they have welcomed the four-month suspension and we are all hoping that a permanent solution can be found.
“It makes sense on both sides of this dispute to work towards an improved relationship in future as we all seek to build back from the coronavirus pandemic.
“The US remains the biggest export market for Scotch whisky, and a major market for companies like Johnston’s of Elgin.
“I am very grateful for the hard work of the Trade Secretary and her team to get us to this stage, and I know that is a view shared by some of our biggest businesses here in Moray.”
