Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he provide details of the British embassies and consulates that used St Andrew's Night 2021 as an opportunity to promote Scotland.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The United Kingdom's diplomatic and trade network overseas promotes the interests and diversity of the whole of the UK to other countries. This includes, but is not limited to, promoting Scotland at events hosted to mark St Andrew's Day and Burns Night.
We do not hold a central log of all such events hosted across the world. In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many UK missions overseas promoted Burns Night and Scotland virtually through social media.
In 2022, like every year, our diplomatic network will be encouraged to use Burns Night and St Andrew's Day to promote Scottish culture, tourism, produce and trade and investment.
In addition to Burns Night and St Andrew's Day events, our overseas network continuously looks to promote Scotland and Scottish interests overseas throughout the year. In October, the Foreign Secretary and Lord Offord used their visit to India, the UK's second biggest investor, to promote Scottish engineering, business and exports, including whisky. UK missions overseas also used Glasgow's hosting of COP26 to increase Scotland's international profile.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps British embassies and consulates are taking to promote Scotland through Burns Night celebrations in their place of location.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The United Kingdom's diplomatic and trade network overseas promotes the interests and diversity of the whole of the UK to other countries. This includes, but is not limited to, promoting Scotland at events hosted to mark St Andrew's Day and Burns Night.
We do not hold a central log of all such events hosted across the world. In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many UK missions overseas promoted Burns Night and Scotland virtually through social media.
In 2022, like every year, our diplomatic network will be encouraged to use Burns Night and St Andrew's Day to promote Scottish culture, tourism, produce and trade and investment.
In addition to Burns Night and St Andrew's Day events, our overseas network continuously looks to promote Scotland and Scottish interests overseas throughout the year. In October, the Foreign Secretary and Lord Offord used their visit to India, the UK's second biggest investor, to promote Scottish engineering, business and exports, including whisky. UK missions overseas also used Glasgow's hosting of COP26 to increase Scotland's international profile.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which British embassies and consulates plan to (a) host or (b) support Burns nights in 2022.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The United Kingdom's diplomatic and trade network overseas promotes the interests and diversity of the whole of the UK to other countries. This includes, but is not limited to, promoting Scotland at events hosted to mark St Andrew's Day and Burns Night.
We do not hold a central log of all such events hosted across the world. In 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many UK missions overseas promoted Burns Night and Scotland virtually through social media.
In 2022, like every year, our diplomatic network will be encouraged to use Burns Night and St Andrew's Day to promote Scottish culture, tourism, produce and trade and investment.
In addition to Burns Night and St Andrew's Day events, our overseas network continuously looks to promote Scotland and Scottish interests overseas throughout the year. In October, the Foreign Secretary and Lord Offord used their visit to India, the UK's second biggest investor, to promote Scottish engineering, business and exports, including whisky. UK missions overseas also used Glasgow's hosting of COP26 to increase Scotland's international profile.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what events took place in UK (a) embassies and (b) other diplomatic missions to mark St Andrews Day in 2019.
Answered by Nigel Adams
It is important for the FCO overseas network to promote the interests and diversity of the whole of the UK to other countries - this includes promoting Scotland at events hosted to mark St Andrew's Day and Burns Night.
We do not hold a central log of all the events hosted across the world, but some examples for Burns Night include our Ambassadors in Latvia, Hungary and Georgia each hosting a Burns Night supper with key stakeholders to promote Scottish culture and trade. Others promoted St Andrew's Day on social media and flew the Saltire on the day itself.
Furthermore, the GREAT marketing campaign also promotes Scottish business and culture throughout the world. The GREAT Challenge Fund is run from the FCO to enable Posts to deliver impactful GREAT activity overseas. Last financial year, there were over 40 projects promoting the devolved nations including: Bookfest International Fair in Bucharest featuring elements of Scottish literature and a Higher Education partnership in Germany promoting the University of Aberdeen and Scottish primary and secondary schools.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what events took place in (a) embassies and (b) other diplomatic missions to mark Burns Night in (i) 2019 and (ii) 2020.
Answered by Nigel Adams
It is important for the FCO overseas network to promote the interests and diversity of the whole of the UK to other countries - this includes promoting Scotland at events hosted to mark St Andrew's Day and Burns Night.
We do not hold a central log of all the events hosted across the world, but some examples for Burns Night include our Ambassadors in Latvia, Hungary and Georgia each hosting a Burns Night supper with key stakeholders to promote Scottish culture and trade. Others promoted St Andrew's Day on social media and flew the Saltire on the day itself.
Furthermore, the GREAT marketing campaign also promotes Scottish business and culture throughout the world. The GREAT Challenge Fund is run from the FCO to enable Posts to deliver impactful GREAT activity overseas. Last financial year, there were over 40 projects promoting the devolved nations including: Bookfest International Fair in Bucharest featuring elements of Scottish literature and a Higher Education partnership in Germany promoting the University of Aberdeen and Scottish primary and secondary schools.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what events were hosted in UK (a) embassies and (b) other diplomatic missions to promote Scottish (i) business and (ii) culture in the last 12 months.
Answered by Nigel Adams
It is important for the FCO overseas network to promote the interests and diversity of the whole of the UK to other countries - this includes promoting Scotland at events hosted to mark St Andrew's Day and Burns Night.
We do not hold a central log of all the events hosted across the world, but some examples for Burns Night include our Ambassadors in Latvia, Hungary and Georgia each hosting a Burns Night supper with key stakeholders to promote Scottish culture and trade. Others promoted St Andrew's Day on social media and flew the Saltire on the day itself.
Furthermore, the GREAT marketing campaign also promotes Scottish business and culture throughout the world. The GREAT Challenge Fund is run from the FCO to enable Posts to deliver impactful GREAT activity overseas. Last financial year, there were over 40 projects promoting the devolved nations including: Bookfest International Fair in Bucharest featuring elements of Scottish literature and a Higher Education partnership in Germany promoting the University of Aberdeen and Scottish primary and secondary schools.