Close Menu
Graeme DeyGraeme Dey
  • News
    • Angus South
    • Holyrood
    • Westminster
    • Education
  • About
    • Graeme Dey MSP
    • GDPR
      • Privacy Policy
      • Child Data Protection
      • Cookies
  • Surgeries
  • Issues
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Law & Order
    • Social Security
    • Transport
    • Devolved and Reserved Powers
  • Gallery
    • 2021 –
      • 2024
      • 2023
      • 2022
      • 2021
    • 2016 – 2020
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
      • 2016
    • 2011 – 2015
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
  • Videos
    • Members’ Business
    • Questions
      • First Minister’s Questions
      • General Questions
      • Portfolio Questions
      • Topical Questions
  • Contact
    • Contact Graeme
    • Generic Consent Form
    • NHS Consent Form
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
Friday, June 20
Graeme DeyGraeme Dey
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
  • News
    1. Angus South
    2. Holyrood
    3. Westminster
    4. Education
    5. View All

    Expanding Access to Childcare

    13th June 2025

    Welcoming the funding boost for Appetite for Angus, led by Angus Farmers Market

    9th June 2025

    Supporting Small Food & Drink Businesses

    4th June 2025

    Funding for Angus Climate Action Hub

    30th May 2025

    Securing Grangemouth’s Just Transition

    18th June 2025

    More Support for Care-Experienced Youth

    18th June 2025

    Scrapping 2-Child Limit to Fight Child Poverty

    17th June 2025

    Inward Investment Success

    17th June 2025

    Spending Review presents challenges

    12th June 2025

    Call for National Mission on Living Standards

    23rd May 2025

    Labour immigration policy threatens Scotland’s NHS

    13th May 2025

    Minister condemns ‘devastating’ UK migration proposals

    12th May 2025

    Scottish Languages Bill Passed

    18th June 2025

    Rise in School Leavers in Positive Destinations

    17th June 2025

    Building positive relationships in schools

    17th June 2025

    Boosting university spin-outs

    16th June 2025

    Securing Grangemouth’s Just Transition

    18th June 2025

    More Support for Care-Experienced Youth

    18th June 2025

    Scottish Languages Bill Passed

    18th June 2025

    Scrapping 2-Child Limit to Fight Child Poverty

    17th June 2025
  • About
    • Graeme Dey MSP
    • GDPR
      • Privacy Policy
      • Child Data Protection
      • Cookies
  • Surgeries
  • Issues
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Law & Order
    • Social Security
    • Transport
    • Devolved and Reserved Powers
  • Gallery
    • 2021 –
      • 2024
      • 2023
      • 2022
      • 2021
    • 2016 – 2020
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
      • 2016
    • 2011 – 2015
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
  • Videos
    • Members’ Business
    • Questions
      • First Minister’s Questions
      • General Questions
      • Portfolio Questions
      • Topical Questions
  • Contact
    • Contact Graeme
    • Generic Consent Form
    • NHS Consent Form
Graeme DeyGraeme Dey
You are at:Home»Holyrood»Protecting Scotland’s Interests

Protecting Scotland’s Interests

LucieBy Lucie1st May 202356 Views7 Mins Read Holyrood
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp

Response to Foreign Office letter on international visits by Scottish Ministers.

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson has called on the Foreign Secretary to withdraw guidance and a letter sent to UK Government diplomats on the handling of visits by Scottish Ministers.


Scotland’s international network has delivered significant benefits, outperforming the UK in foreign direct investment. Amid Brexit’s economic damage, we must prioritise ministerial engagement and leverage our international network for new job creation and economic opportunities.

The Government is committed to resisting any attempts to limit overseas visits and reduce promotion of Scottish trade and investment.

GRAEME

In his response to the letter, which was circulated to all UK Heads of Mission on 31 March, Mr Robertson says there are ‘a number of omissions and misleading assertions’ in the Foreign Secretary’s letter and he is ‘concerned at the damage [the] letter and guidance could do to Scottish trade, cultural exchanges and education, and to Scottish interests in general.

Scotland has long benefitted from the investment and domestic benefits our international network has helped to deliver and as EY reported last year, Scotland continues to outperform the UK as a whole for foreign direct investment, driving the creation of new jobs and economic opportunities for local businesses.

Ministerial engagement to promote Scotland is a key driver of these opportunities, alongside the efforts of our international network, and it is more vital than ever, given the damage of Brexit to the Scottish economy and trade. Just this week, Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray met with a major Japanese company in Osaka to discuss plans for a large subsea electric cable manufacturing plant in the Highlands.

We will of course resist any move by the UK Government to curtail these types of visits and reduce opportunities to promote Scottish trade and investment opportunities.  There is, rightly, nothing in the Scotland Act that prevents Scottish ministers from undertaking overseas visits to promote Scottish interests.

MR ROBERTSON

The letter reads:

Dear James,

I was surprised on 13 April to receive, via a newspaper journalist seeking a comment, a copy of your letter of 31 March to Heads of UK Missions abroad entitled “Working with the Scottish Government internationally” and covering new FCDO guidance on “how to manage and support devolved government ministerial visits overseas”.

I am concerned about the damage the letter and guidance could do to Scottish trade, cultural exchanges and education, and to Scottish interests in general. There are a number of omissions and misleading assertions, and the guidance in places appears unworkable. I therefore ask that you withdraw it. The problems that will result if the guidance stands are set out in the annexe to this letter, but I will emphasise some key points here.

Scotland is a country, an ancient nation, currently part of what is supposed to be a voluntary union of nations, and has a long history of engaging with other nations. Set alongside measures such as the Internal Market Act and the Retained EU (Revocation and Reform) Bill, the new guidance is further example of the UK Government’s intention to undermine devolution and its dismissal of the idea that the UK is a voluntary union. The UK Government’s apparent determination to reduce Scotland to the status of a mere administrative unit and for it to be characterised as such by UK Government diplomats is unacceptable.

The Scottish Government is internationalist to its core. We believe Scotland has a contribution to make to global issues, whether that is tackling climate change, international development, advancing equalities around the world, the treatment of those fleeing war and oppression and many other topics where the UK Government also has relevant responsibilities. We cannot be expected to turn our back on our core national values, and we will not do so.

You appear particularly concerned that the Scottish Government may seek to “encroach” on reserved matters. The guidance repeatedly makes the point that UK Government diplomats should explain the distinction between reserved and devolved powers to the host governments in the countries concerned. I have no objection to that, but it is essential that the distinction is explained properly. As currently worded, the guidance contains inaccuracies that would seriously mislead host governments.

The Scotland Act 1998 does, broadly speaking, reserve international relations, but as the guidance acknowledges, “the reservation of international relations does not have the effect of precluding Scottish Ministers and officials from communicating with other countries, regions or international or European institutions, so long as the representatives of the Scottish Parliament or Scottish Ministers do not purport to speak for the United Kingdom or to reach agreements which commit the UK”. It should be needless to say that Scottish Government Ministers would never purport to speak for the UK. The fact that we have very different views on matters such as immigration, asylum and Brexit will be well known to governments overseas, and it would be absurd to think that our such views could be confused with those of the UK Government.

The guidance also says that it is “in line with handling for visits from Ministers across HMG”. The Scottish Government is, however, not an arm of the UK Government, but a separate government, elected by the people of Scotland. The Scottish Parliament exists because the people of Scotland voted for it in the 1997 referendum, doing so by a margin of 3 to 1. The Scottish Parliament and Government are permanent institutions with responsibilities including implementing international obligations in respect of devolved matters.

In terms of the practical effect, the clear purpose of the guidance appears to be to limit the Scottish Government’s international activity. Make no mistake: this will cause real, practical damage to Scotland’s interests. Scotland is home to leading businesses in space, renewables, life sciences and artificial intelligence and has an arts and culture sector with a global reputation. Our economy, businesses, educational institutions and transition to net zero all depend on international partnerships and engagement. The Scottish diaspora comprises some 40 million people, many of whom want to engage with Scotland. In all of these areas of activity other countries, their governments and businesses want to work with Scotland. The new guidance seems designed to put obstacles in the way of that.

The House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee has heard this year from a string of business, education and cultural institutions that the most active proponents of Scottish interests abroad have been the Scottish Government and agencies. To reduce this activity would have a seriously negative impact on Scotland’s interests. Indeed, the committee heard from a range of Scottish organisations that the UK Government has failed to promote Scottish produce and key business sectors sufficiently.

What makes the guidance even more damaging is that it seeks to address a problem that does not exist. Collaborative relations between Scottish and UK officials working in UK Missions overseas are generally excellent. Where collaboration could be improved is in relation to the need for the UK Government to engage the Devolved Governments when negotiating relevant international agreements in a way that was sadly lacking for the recent UK-German Connection Agreement.

In short, your letter and guidance amount to an attempt to censor Scottish Government Ministers’ legitimate engagement in international forums and meetings. They give an inaccurate picture of both the way the Union itself is supposed to operate and of devolution. And above all, they will damage the Scottish economy and a range of Scottish interests.

It is for these reasons that I ask you to withdraw both the guidance and your letter.

I am copying this letter to Mick Antoniw MS, Counsel General for Wales, and the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Background

https://www.gov.scot/publications/protecting-scotlands-interests-letter-to-the-secretary-of-state-james-cleverly

economy EY Foreign Office international visits letter Ministers reports Scotland
Previous ArticleCollective Effort to Tackle Poverty
Next Article Supporting Deaf Awareness Week with Tayside Deaf Hub
Lucie

I am working as a Constituency Assistant for Graeme. I joined the team after doing a master's degree at the University of Glasgow.

Related Posts

Securing Grangemouth’s Just Transition

18th June 2025

More Support for Care-Experienced Youth

18th June 2025

Scrapping 2-Child Limit to Fight Child Poverty

17th June 2025
latest news

Securing Grangemouth’s Just Transition

More Support for Care-Experienced Youth

Scottish Languages Bill Passed

Scrapping 2-Child Limit to Fight Child Poverty

About
About

Graeme Dey is the the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Angus South Constituency.

Having worked for The Courier newspaper for 26 years, Graeme was elected to Holyrood in 2011.

In March 2023, Graeme was chosen by First Minister Humza Yousaf to be Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans.

Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
Latest Posts

Securing Grangemouth’s Just Transition

More Support for Care-Experienced Youth

Scottish Languages Bill Passed

Scrapping 2-Child Limit to Fight Child Poverty

Flickr Photos
Transport Police
RM Condor Parliament 2
D&A College (Apprenticeship Week) 6
Deaf Hub 3
DofE3
Humza and Graeme close up pro
Humza Graeme Sign
Independence Convention
July7 Surgery 2]
CWA Parl 3
20230712_104835
20230712_110433
Banking Hub 1
SSERC
Ayrshire College
Poverty Alliance
© 2025 Graeme Dey MSP. No parliamentary funds have been used to create and maintain this website. Promoted by G. Dey, 282 High St, DD11 1JF.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.