To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the
Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 214210, what the cost to his Department was
of providing support to the Scottish Minister for External Affairs and International
Development on his visits to (a) Geneva in November 2014, (b) Brussels in July 2014,
(c) Brussels in June 2014, (d) Vancouver and San Francisco in April 2014, (e) Vienna
in February 2014, (f) UAE and Qatar in November 2013, (g) Pakistan in October 2013,
(h) India, Delhi and Mumbai in October 2013, (i) Geneva in September 2013, (j) Latvia
in July 2013, (k) China and Hong Kong in June 2013 and (l) Hanover in May 2013.
<p>I refer to my previous answers (213577, 214210) on this matter. The UK’s global
diplomatic network - employing over 14,000 people in 267 Embassies, High Commissions,
Consulates and other offices in 154 countries and 12 Overseas Territories around the
world – works to achieve the international policy objectives that benefit the whole
of the UK, including promoting Scottish companies and products, its culture, and Scotland
as a destination for investment, tourism and study. However, the information requested
is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p>
