Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many official representations abroad ministers in his Department made in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20 and (c) 2021-2022; in which countries those representations took place; in what capacity those representations were undertaken; and what the cost to the public purse was of each of those representations.
In the financial year 2018-19, Ministers made five official representations abroad in their ministerial capacity. These representations were to Iceland, the United States of America, New Zealand, Uruguay and Chile. The cost of these was £17,807.66.
In the financial year 2019-20, Ministers made one official representation abroad in their ministerial capacity. This representation was to Hungary. The cost of this was £240.68.
In the financial year 2021-22, Ministers made three official representations abroad in their ministerial capacity. These representations were to India, Finland and Norway. The cost of these was £2,383.93.
Further details on the purpose and details of these visits are available in the Ministerial transparency returns, which are published on https://www.gov.uk/search/transparency-and-freedom-of-information-releases?organisations%5B%5D=office-of-the-secretary-of-state-for-scotland&parent=office-of-the-secretary-of-state-for-scotland.