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On 10 November 2017, the Jersey Government hosted a summit meeting of the British-Irish Council. The meeting was attended by Ministers from six of the Member Administrations and was chaired by the Jersey Chief Minister. The First Minister, the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe and I represented the Scottish Government.

Although ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive and Welsh Government were not in attendance, officials from both administrations were present.

Discussions at the meeting centred on latest political developments including the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union and the recently released ‘Paradise Papers’.

In relation to EU exit, the Scottish Government voiced the concerns felt by businesses and citizens across Scotland at the lack of certainty and stressed the urgent need for clarity on the UK’s positions, including on transition arrangements.

The First Minister said the Paradise Papers highlighted the need for an approach to taxation that ensures that people pay what is due and for transparency.

The Council also discussed Creative Industries, on which the Jersey Government has been leading collaborative research in recent years. I welcomed the Creative Industries Work Sector report and highlighted the significant contribution that the creative industries makes to Scotland’s economy – in the year to 2015 we have seen GVA in the sector increase by 23.6%. I informed the Council of this Government’s continued commitment to support and grow our creative economy and reflected on the potential negative impacts that leaving the EU could have on this sector, which currently benefits significantly from freedom of movement and access to markets across the EU.

The Communiqué that was issued by the British-Irish Council, after the meeting, can be found on its website at:

https://www.britishirishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/Communique%20Jersey%20Summit.pdf

Last month, I visited the Riga Conference 2017 in Latvia to undertake a series of meetings and events to both outline our position on Europe to an influential international audience and to promote stronger engagement with the Nordic and Baltic region.

During my time in Riga I undertook a range of engagements, focused on furthering Scottish links with Latvia and the wider region. These included speaking on a Riga Conference panel related to Brexit and meeting with: Latvia’s Undersecretary of State for European Affairs Solveiga Silkalna; Estonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Mikser; Latvia’s Ambassador to the UK Baiba Braze; UK Ambassador to Latvia Keith Shannon; Finnish Foreign Affairs State Secretary Samuli Virtanen; as well as representatives from the British Chambers of Commerce and the Latvian Investment & Development Agency.

I was also pleased that during my visit, I was able to launch the Scottish Government’s updated publication “All Points North – The Scottish Governments Nordic Policy Statement.” The Statement sets out the future direction and ambitions for the Scottish Government’s engagement with the Nordic and Baltic countries in order to promote greater collaboration, cooperation, investment and policy transfer between our countries.

The Statement has provided a framework for our engagement with the region in the period since its launch in 2014. We decided to update the statement to take account of the changed international context we are now operating within.

Exchanging knowledge and experience with our Nordic partners is of great benefit to Scotland as Nordic countries are recognised as world leaders in areas of prime importance to this Government, and there is much to be gained in learning from the positive examples they set.

Scottish Ministers have had a number of engagements with Government representatives of the Nordic and Baltic countries to promote diplomatic, business and cultural ties. In addition to my own visit to Latvia, the First Minister will shortly be addressing the Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland and later this month, Mr Mackay will be participating in a visit to Estonia along with the Honorary Consul in Scotland. The Scottish Government is delighted to be hosting an Arctic Circle Forum, “Scotland and the New North” in collaboration with the Arctic Circle in November. I am once again pleased to restate this Government’s commitment to strengthen our relations with our Nordic and Baltic neighbours.

The First Minister visited Dublin between the 5 and 6 October 2017 in order to build on Scotland’s bilateral relations with Ireland, promote Scotland’s strengths as a destination for Irish investors, build our links with the Irish business community and encourage collaboration in areas of shared economic and cultural interest. Ireland is an important partner for Scotland and further strengthening our bilateral relationship continues to be a priority for this government.

During the visit, the First Minister held her first full bilateral meeting with the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar since his appointment in June 2017. Discussion focused on matters of shared interest across a range of policy priorities including the economy, particularly inclusive growth, how we continue to ensure fair access to high quality education, and social issues, including public health provision, where it was agreed there was substantive scope to share experiences.

On Brexit, the First Minister explained Scotland’s position, and both agreed it was in our common interest that the UK remain in the Single Market and the Customs Union. On Northern Ireland, the First Minister stressed that any outcome of the Brexit negotiations should protect the Good Friday Agreement in its entirety, promote peace and stability, and ensure no change to the current open border on the island of Ireland. Both parties agreed on the continued strategic relevance of the British Irish Council and the importance of a strong, high level UK Government attendance at this year’s Summit meeting in Jersey.

The Taoiseach and First Minister also discussed the role of devolved administrations in the Brexit negotiation process. The First Minister reassured the Taoiseach that the Scottish Government is committed to safeguarding Scotland’s interests, continues to act in good faith and is determined that Scotland’s voice should be heard through the Joint Ministerial Committee process.

Following the meeting with the Taoiseach, the First Minister attended the Dublin Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner, where she delivered the keynote address to an audience of some 1500 Irish and international business leaders. In the First Minister’s address, she set out the Scottish Government’s vision for Scotland’s economy, outlined why Irish based businesses should continue to invest in and trade with Scotland, opportunities for economic collaboration and that despite Brexit, Scotland remains open for business and continues to be an attractive place for investment as well as a close partner and ally for Ireland and Irish business.

The following morning, the First Minister attended a private working breakfast where she had the opportunity to directly relay this message to some of the largest Irish investors in the Scottish economy, as well as major international investors in the Irish economy.

Concluding the trip to Dublin, the First Minister visited the Ark (a Dublin based children’s theatre and Ireland’s only dedicated space for children to engage in the creative arts and cultural development), where she met with a Scottish children’s theatre and dance company, which has been supported by Scottish Government and was in Dublin to perform as part of the Dublin Fringe Theatre festival. This was an excellent opportunity to restate the importance of Scottish- Irish cultural links, and how these links can support cultural and educational opportunities for children, teachers and families.

The First Minister’s visit was followed by a visit from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution to Dublin on the 12 October, where he met with the Irish Government Minister for Financial Services and Insurance to discuss the potential for future collaboration between the Scottish and Irish financial services industries. Later the same day, the Cabinet Secretary participated in a conference hosted by PWC Ireland, at which key leaders from the Irish and Scottish financial services sectors came together to discuss in more detail the development of closer collaboration. Mr MacKay was also in Belfast on 6 October to deliver the keynote address to the annual dinner of the Belfast Homecoming conference, in which he focused on the links between the Northern Irish and Scottish diasporas, and the potential to further strengthen our economic links.

New appointments have been made to the positions of Scottish Affairs Counsellor to North America and First Secretary of Scottish Affairs in Beijing

Joni Smith has been appointed to the position of Scottish Affairs Counsellor to North America. Joni has worked within the Civil Service since 2005 and was formerly Head of the First Minister’s Questions Briefing Team, with other roles including as a Senior Policy Adviser to the First Minister and Private Secretary to the former Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Alex Neil MSP. She holds an extensive Communications background, previously working as a broadcast journalist and subsequently working across various communications team prior to becoming Head of Communications for the then Deputy First Minister and Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon MSP in 2012.

Joni will be based in our Scottish Affairs Office within the British Embassy in Washington DC where she will lead on promoting Scotland's interests in the United States and Canada. The USA is Scotland's biggest overseas trading partner, our largest inward investor and a hugely valuable tourism market, with US students accounting for the second largest overseas group in Scotland and links between Scottish schools, colleges and universities and their counterparts in the USA are constantly developing. Work on our relationship with Canada is also essential, with Canada holding a special significance for Scotland, both as a major export and tourism market but also due to the strong and enduring historical links between our two countries and the prevalence of a well-defined Scottish Diaspora. This work will be supported by Scottish Government colleagues in Toronto.

Martin McDermott has been appointed First Secretary of Scottish Affairs based in the British Embassy in Beijing. Martin joined the Scottish Government in 2003 and has held variety of policy positions across Scottish Government Directorates, including in Justice, Education and Lifelong Learning. Martin’s recent posts include leading public and stakeholder engagement in the run up to the referendum on Scottish independence in 2014 and most recently as Head of Legislation, Finance and Delivery within the Social Security Directorate.

Martin will promote and represent the Scottish Government’s cultural, educational and economic interests in China and this work will be guided by our China Engagement Strategy, due for renewal in 2018, which will outline our priorities in China and ensure that respect for human rights and the rule of law remains one of our guiding principles.

Scotland’s Population 2016: the Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends will be published on 2 August 2017. The Report contains information about births, deaths and marriages during the year, together with other demographic information. A copy of the report is available in the Scottish Parliament Reference Centre, or from the Registrar General’s website at www.nrscotland.gov.uk