Select committee: Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 2
Eighth Report - Promoting Scotland Internationally
Published 13 Sep 2023
Paragraph 18
Addressed to Scotland Office
Scottish Affairs Committee Promoting Scotland Internationally All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) should publish a strategy, to be circulated across its international diplomatic network, which sets out guidance and expectations for embassies on holding events to mark Scotland’s key dates, St Andrew’s Day and Burns Night. This document should give clear direction on what current UK Departmental (e.g. FCDO, Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland and Department for Business and Trade) priorities are for promoting Scotland internationally, and how both the modern and traditional aspects of the Scottish brand should be incorporated as part of this activity. In its response to this report, the UK Government should agree a definition of the Scottish brand to be advanced by it internationally, followed by annual reporting updates on embassy activity promoting Scotland that has taken place each year. The Committee recognises the interest of successive Scottish Governments in this area which currently resides in the portfolio of Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs—we therefore urge the Scottish Government adopt a similar approach.
From: Scottish Affairs Committee, Eighth Report - Promoting Scotland Internationally (HC 625), paragraph 18, 13 September 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 30 November 2023 (deadline 13 November 2023).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response recognises the importance of promoting Scotland internationally but, in several areas, describes existing arrangements as the right approach rather than adopting the Committee's proposals.
- On a strategy for marking Scotland's key dates, it says that "Issuing prescriptive guidance to the overseas network does not necessarily provide the most effective way to promote the best of Scotland", so Posts keep discretion.
- On an international strategy, it says the Scotland Office and FCDO "will continue to provide leadership", but that this "remains a cross-government endeavour". It notes that horizon scanning is "a continual process" and that the Delivering for Scotland Board includes promotion of Scotland internationally.
- On Tartan Week, it says departments are discussing potential collaboration for 2024 in New York, and that "Detailed plans for this will be developed during the autumn/winter 2023."
- On trade, it says DBT works with the Scottish Government and SDI so that "services aren't duplicated", and says the UK Exports Minister and senior DBT officials "can appear before the Committee" to provide an update.