Chamber and committees

The Scottish Executive makes representations to EU bodies through the UK government, ensuring that the UK line takes full account of the Scottish position. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.

The Scottish Executive's objectives in attending the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development are:

• to show that Scotland takes sustainable development seriously. Whilst the focus of the summit is the sustainable development of poorer countries, this means that developed countries must set their house in order too. Sustainable development is a devolved issue and we shall not shirk from our responsibility to the planet;
• to show that sustainable development matters to the people of Scotland. We have listened to what ordinary Scots have to say and will represent these views in Johannesburg, and

to inform our actions. The Scottish Executive and civic Scotland will act to ensure that sustainable development here reflects the decisions and discussions in Johannesburg.

The Scottish Executive delegation will consist of the First Minister and three officials. The First Minister chose to attend personally to represent Scotland at the highest possible level and to show the importance that the Executive places on sustainable development. The officials chosen to support the First Minister are the Principal Private Secretary to the First Minister, a Special Adviser and the Head of Environment Group.A Scottish civic delegation will also attend the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development. Details of this civic delegation are given in the answer to question S1W-27506.

We are attending the World Summit on Sustainable Development to share experience and expertise on sustainable development, and intend to learn from the experience of others across the globe.We will consider any implications of the outcomes of the Summit for our sustainable development policies, as stated in paragraph 43 of Meeting the Needs..., which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20879).

The programme for the Scottish Executive delegation is not yet finalised as the full programme for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development has not been announced.The response to question S1W-27506 explains that the civic delegates will organise their own programmes.

The Scottish Executive delegation is part of the official UK delegation and the Scottish Executive will fully support the work of the UK delegation. However, the programme for the Scottish delegation will be based on the objectives outlined in the response to question S1W-27587, and the principles and priorities set out in our vision of a sustainable Scotland, Meeting the Needs..., which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 20879).The response to question S1W-27506 explains that members of the civic delegation will pursue independent programmes.

The Scottish Executive delegation will take a scheduled flight to Johannesburg for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development.The Scottish Executive delegation will stay in hotel rooms allocated to the UK delegation.

The Scottish Executive believes that civic society has an important role to play in furthering sustainable development in Scotland. A delegation representing civic society in Scotland will attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and will consist of:

Name	Organisation	Sector
Kevin Dunion	Friends of the Earth Scotland	Environmental NGOs
Belinda Miller	Aberdeen City Council	Local Authorities
Ian Russell	Scottish Power	Business
Stephanie Wiseman	Lunnasting Primary School, Shetland	Young people
Damien Killeen	The Poverty Alliance	Social justice NGOs
Donald Bruce	Action of Churches Together in Scotland	Bodies involved in overseas development work

Delegates were chosen in a variety of ways to achieve a balance of established leaders and fresh faces with particular commitment and dynamism. The civic delegation will make their own arrangements regarding travel, accommodation and programme for the Summit. The Executive has offered to pay the travel, accommodation and subsistence costs of four of the members of the civic delegation, and it is estimated that this will cost £7,000 in total.Each member will arrange their own programme to gain the greatest benefit possible from the Summit for their sector. Therefore the role of individual members will vary, but in general the delegation will raise awareness in their sector about the Summit and the issues it seeks to address, attend the events at the Summit most relevant to their particular sector, and be available to advise the First Minister and the Executive at the Summit. Most importantly these civic delegates will act as catalysts for concrete action to further sustainable development in their sector on their return.By supporting the civic delegation in this way, we believe that the Executive can help civic society in Scotland play their full part in building a Sustainable Scotland.

The Executive is considering possible options for reporting on the First Minister's attendance at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development, and will ensure that both the Parliament and the public are informed in the most appropriate way.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-27505.