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On 21 June 2013, the twentieth meeting of the British-Irish Council was held in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. We had a successful meeting attended by ministers from all eight member administrations. The First Minister and I represented the Scottish Government.

The meeting began with a presentation on Derry/Londonderry as the first UK City of Culture which, at the halfway point, highlighted the economic benefits and many others positives of the experience so far. This was followed by an opportunity for all eight member administrations to ask questions.

The discussion moved on to creative industries and building on discussions at previous summit meetings, the council welcomed a paper from the Government of Jersey with a proposal for a new creative industries work sector. The council agreed to the creation of this new work sector and the issues it should initially focus on. A work programme will be developed for approval at the next summit in Jersey in November 2013.

On the economy, it was helpful that all eight member administrations continued to share information as we strive to encourage further capital investment; to tackle youth unemployment and to minimise the impact of high energy prices on the economy. In addition, the First Minister highlighted the obstacles that small businesses are facing in building relationships with the banking sector and in terms of accessing finance. The First Minister also referenced the All Islands Approach and the second part of the flagship Irish-Scottish Links on Energy Study (ISLES) which has now been given £1 million of EU funding to examine how an offshore grid could be established by breaking down the complex financial, legal and regulatory issues that can affect cross-border energy projects.

The council noted the ongoing collaborative engagement of Administrations through the various policy work streams and approved the minutes from the previous Summit meeting in Cardiff in November 2012. Finally, the council endorsed the publication of the first BIC Secretariat Annual report and agreed the secretariat budget for 2013-14 which includes a 20% reduction from the previous year.

The communique that was issued by the British-Irish Council, after the meeting, can be found on the website along with a copy of the BIC Secretariat Annual Report at http://www.britishirishcouncil.org/. I am also arranging for copies of both documents to be placed in SPICe (Bib. numbers 55053 and 55054).

Scotland Week 2013, led by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with Scottish Development International, Visit Scotland and Creative Scotland took place from 3-10 April with engagements centred around New York and Washington DC in the US and Halifax and Toronto in Canada. The focus of the visits of both the First Minister and the Minister for Transport and Veterans Affairs was to: i) encourage economic investment and secure jobs for Scotland; ii) launch Visit Scotland’s Homecoming 2014 tourism campaign in the all important US and Canadian markets; and iii) engage with a number of prestigious global institutions and key influencers, to promote Scotland as a good global citizen.

From 3 - 7 April 2013 the First Minister visited New York. He began his visit by launching Visit Scotland’s Homecoming 2014 campaign, in Scotland’s most important overseas tourism market, to an audience of key travel and lifestyle media, travel trade and business tourism contacts. The launch was designed to build on the more than £50 million in additional tourism revenue for Scotland generated in 2009, when the first Homecoming took place.

The First Minister carried out an extensive programme of targeted business engagement with top US companies, developing both new and existing relationships. These meetings featured 220 new jobs, 34 jobs safeguarded and more than £12 million of new investment, as follows:

The First Minister met senior representatives of US-based business analytics and software services provider SAS to announce the expansion of their operations in Scotland which will result in 94 new jobs and safeguard an additional 34 high value jobs; further reinforcing Scotland’s world-leading position in the field of life sciences, the First Minister met with US-based medical products company Daktari Diagostics to welcome their decision to locate a new manufacturing operation for the companies blood/HIV testing diagnostic kits, creating 126 new jobs and £11.9 million of new investment; the First Minister also met leading representatives of JP Morgan, Blackrock and Johnson & Johnson, all major existing investors to discuss their long term commitment to Scotland.

While in New York, the First Minister continued his engagement with business by i) speaking at an SDI-led trade mission reception for 17 Scottish companies seeking to expand their activities in the US market; ii) hosting a dinner for influential US-based Global Scots; and iii) addressing an audience of over 300 top US-based business leaders at the New York Saint Andrew’s Society’s Inaugural Business Networking Dinner, which honoured Douglas Flint CBE, Chair of HSBC Holding PLC and Anne Gloag OBE, Philanthropist and Co-Founder of the Stagecoach Group PLC, as Global Man and Woman of the Year award winners.

At the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs the First Minister delivered a speech to an audience of major New York City companies and key business media contacts on ‘Scotland’s Place in the World Economy’. He highlighted Scotland’s key economic sectors such as innovation, renewable energy, life sciences, financial services and tourism, including how an independent Scotland would be well placed to capitalise further on these strengths, participating as an active member of the international community, by maintaining close ties with the US and our other major trading partners.

The First Minister launched a photographic exhibition by former Barlinnie prison officer, now critically-acclaimed international photographer, David Eustace, which featured stunning landscapes which showcasing the Year of Natural Scotland 2013. In starting 10th annual Scotland 10k Run, the First Minister addressed around 10,000 runners and 5,000 spectators as New York’s Central Park temporarily became a small part of Scotland.

On Saturday 6 April 2013, the First Minister gave a public lecture at Princeton University, New Jersey, on The Wealth and Well-being of Nations to an audience which included a significant number of distinguished international scholars. The lecture was part of a Princeton-Glasgow Caledonian University symposium on the lecture theme, “The Wealth & Well-being of Nations, the First Minister’s address focused on Adam Smith’s legacy and the relationship between wealth creation and the common good today, including the Scottish Government’s international leadership on climate justice and social policies addressing inequality.

Whilst in New York the First Minister also undertook a number of press and media interviews including with Reuters TV and Bloomberg.

From 8 - 10 April 2013, the First Minister visited Washington, DC. At the Brookings Institution, a non-profit public policy organisation consistently ranked as the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tank in the United States, the First Minister delivered a speech on how an independent Scotland would be a good global citizen. The First Minister took this opportunity to stress the links between Scotland and the USA and to emphasise the three aims of an independent Scotland’s foreign policy, promoting economic interests, protecting assets and people; and participating on the world stage. He went on to speak about Scotland’s role as a good international citizen, working to combat climate change, promoting international development, and supporting human rights. The event was attended by international diplomats and members of the US foreign policy community, including think-tanks, private sector representatives, Congressional staffers and media.

On Capitol Hill, the First Minister was guest of honour at the annual National Capitol Tartan Day reception where he met with the co-chairs of the Friends of Scotland Caucus in the US House of Representatives. The First Minister held separate meetings with John A. Boehner, Speaker of the US House of Representatives and with Senator Lamar Alexander, co-chair of the Friends of Scotland Caucus in the US Senate. The First Minister also met with General Colin Powell, former US Secretary of State, who is proud of his Scottish heritage, discussing Scotland’s desire to pursue economic growth opportunities and strengthen the bonds of friendship between both countries.

The First Minister visited Mount Vernon, former home of President George Washington, where he presented two volumes of official letters to the Honourable American Congress, written by President Washington during the war between the United Colonies and Great Britain. The volumes, which in the autumn will be formally loaned from the National Library of Scotland (NLS), will mark a new collaboration between the NLS and Mount Vernon’s new Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington.

The First Minister also undertook a number of media related interviews and events including a meeting with the Washington Post Editorial Board and a briefing at the National Press Club.

Mr Brown, Minister for Transport and Veterans, visited Halifax, Nova Scotia and Toronto, Ontario from 4 -10 April 2013 where he also undertook a number of business and tourism engagements to promote Scotland during Scotland Week 2013.

In Nova Scotia, Mr Brown’s programme covered a number of public diplomacy events, including official recognition of the visit in the Provincial Legislature, where leaders of each political party read resolutions supporting Tartan Day and recognising the strength of Scotland's contribution to the Province. Additionally, the Minister attended and spoke at the Province’s annual Tartan Day celebrations hosted by The Honourable James Grant, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. These engagements afforded senior political engagement, including meetings with two Federal Ministers and with two provincial Ministers and discussions with the Speaker of the Nova Scotia House and the Premier of Nova Scotia.

Mr Brown’s programme provided for significant engagement with business in both cities including hosting and speaking at networking receptions in Halifax and Toronto for over 250 guests. Mr Brown also hosted two business networking lunches in Toronto hosting upwards of 70 senior business contacts. This included the SDI-led trade mission event in Toronto supporting 6 Scottish companies seeking to expand their activities in the Canadian market and an event promoting the concept of an Ontario-Scottish Business Association, a model which was successfully launched in Alberta earlier this year and which provides a mechanism for bringing together the many business contacts SDI has developed in the market since February 2011.

Mr Brown’s programme in both Toronto and Halifax also had a focus on air route development including meeting with Air Canada to recognise their forthcoming direct flight from Toronto to Edinburgh, which will commence a three weekly service on Canada day this July. He also had positive discussions with airport authorities in both Halifax and Toronto about the potential for further expansion.

The Minister took the opportunity to learn about the work the Canadian Government is doing to support the Veterans community. Mr Brown was joined by Martin Gibson, Chief Executive of umbrella body Veterans Scotland. They visited a number of veterans support projects and met with both provincial and federal Ministers and officials to identify ways of developing best practice for former service personnel living in Scotland.

Mr Brown also undertook a number of media related interviews and events including an appearance on CTV Atlantic on Tartan Day (6 April) in an interview with CTV Atlantic Anchor Jackie Foster and an interview with Baxters Travel media, the largest travel trade publisher in North America. He was also afforded an opportunity to promote 2014 to Canadian tourism and travel trade markets through hosting the official Canadian launch event for Homecoming 2014 in Toronto on 9 April 2013.

The programme costs of Scotland Week 2013 were £326,143, well under the budget set by ministers, and considerably less than the costs of any previous Tartan Weeks.

The Presiding Officer and a Parliamentary delegation, Bruce Crawford MSP and Duncan McNeil MSP, also travelled to the US during Scotland Week, undertaking their own programme of engagements as well as participating in a number of Scotland Week activities.

I will this morning, 24 June 2013, be launching the Scottish Government’s new policy statement on architecture and place. The policy statement is available from the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 55045), and will be available on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/06/9811.

The launch will take place at Hillhead Primary School in Glasgow, an award winning building which itself exemplifies the benefits of good design and showcases Scotland’s architectural talent.

Scottish Ministers recognise the important role that Scotland’s architecture and places play in supporting a high quality of life, developing our economic potential and in reflecting our vibrant and creative culture. Our new architecture and place policy statement contains a series of commitments to support Scottish architecture and placemaking for the benefit of Scotland’s communities.

All women are advised of the risks of antenatal smoking at booking and throughout their pregnancy, if they continue to smoke they are offered help and support with smoking cessation.

The Open Fund is a major component in the development of the nationwide Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Culture Programme. It received a fantastic response and I am delighted by the incredible enthusiasm that has been shown by cultural organisations and individuals throughout the nation.

The Culture Programme will significantly enhance the Games experience for all of Scotland’s communities, spectators and visitors, as well as present the best of Scotland’s culture alongside that of the Commonwealth.

I am pleased to announce that I am today publishing the business case for the merger of Historic Scotland and RCAHMS and that I intend to establish the merged body as a non-departmental public body and make provisions for it to apply for charitable status in line with Scotland’s National Collections.

I am also publishing a draft Strategy for Scotland’s Historic Environment. This is a strategy for Scotland and seeks to establish a common shared direction for the varied organisations and individuals who play a role in caring for our historic environment. The new body will have a key role in leading and enabling its delivery

I am today launching a joint consultation covering both the strategy and the establishment of the proposed new body. The published documents are available at: www.scotland.gov.uk/HEstrategy_merger

Following work to record the remains of a historic wreck site discovered by scallop divers close to the harbour of Drumbeg, Sutherland, Historic Scotland has today designated Scotland’s first Historic Marine Protected Area (MPA) under the urgent designation procedures in the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. This is the first time that the new MPA powers have been used. Public consultation will follow shortly on a proposal to make this designation more permanent.

As part of this first round of consultation, Historic Scotland will also be inviting views on proposals to designate six further Historic MPAs during 2013, to protect seven historic shipwrecks ranging from a 17^th century Scottish warship off Duart Point, Mull, to the Campania, a Clydebuilt former Blue-Riband winning Cunard liner, which performed valuable service as a converted aircraft carrier during WW1. Their designation as Historic MPAs will allow the Scottish Government to replace existing statutory protection for these sites under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. This will align marine heritage protection in Scotland with the Scottish Government’s new marine planning system and its overall approach to protection of our outstanding marine environment. The change in designation will not only help to protect these sites from harm, but will also help to streamline the consent arrangements and provide new opportunities for responsible access by scuba divers and others who will be more easily able to enjoy and appreciate these highly important sites.

Once these initial designations are in place, Historic Scotland will be visiting Orkney to consider the need for a historic MPA to protect what remains under water relating to the key wartime naval anchorage of Scapa Flow in advance of the centenary of WW1. A small number of other high priority, currently undesignated sites around the Scottish coast may also be considered between now and 2015.