Question reference: S5W-33031
- Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 4 November 2020
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Current status: Answered by Michael Russell on 16 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many new overseas offices it plans to open in the next 10 years, and what the (a) budget and (b) location will be for each.
Answer
Our existing network of external offices play a critical role in supporting delivery of Scotland’s international objectives, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our current external network of offices, located in China (Beijing), Germany (Berlin), Belgium (Brussels), France (Paris), Ireland (Dublin), UK (London), the USA (Washington DC) and Canada (Ottawa), have been working hard to attract investment to Scotland and helping Scottish businesses to enhance and expand on their ability to trade internationally.
They also continue to play a vital role in improving Scotland’s international profile, and protecting and enhancing Scotland’s interests in the EU and beyond. With so much uncertainty over what the UK’s future relationship with the European Union will be, this will be absolutely critical for Scotland. In this light, we will communicate any decision to expand or develop the network at the appropriate time.