When meeting with external organisations Scottish Government Ministers work to the Scottish Ministerial Code, see section 10.18: https://beta.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2016-edition/pages/11/ The code is in line with section 8.14 of the UK Government Ministerial Code: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/579752/ministerial_code_december_2016.pdf Where a Minister is involved in a meeting, conversation or exchange with external organisations which raises substantive issues relating to Government decisions or contracts, and where no Private Secretary, adviser or official is present, they should inform their Private Office, who will arrange for the basic facts to be recorded (see Ministerial Code paragraph 4.23).