Select committee: Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 9
Eighth Report - Promoting Scotland Internationally
Published 13 Sep 2023
Paragraph 38
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)
In response to this report, the UK Government should clarify: • what activity is currently undertaken by embassies to engage with the Scottish diaspora, for example in countries in which that diaspora has a sizable presence; • what role the UK Government intends to play in future in developing closer relationships with the Scottish diaspora; and Promoting Scotland Internationally 31 • how the UK Government intends to engage with the Scottish Government to help develop these relationships following the Scottish Government’s recently published Scottish Connections Framework
From: Scottish Affairs Committee, Eighth Report - Promoting Scotland Internationally (HC 625), paragraph 38, 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.