Date

Event

Country

Request / Action / State of Play / Comments

Duration (Days)

03 to 11.04.04

Tartan Day 2004

USA/Canada

The Presiding Officer will lead delegation of David McLetchie MSP, Michael McMahon MSP, Donald Gorrie MSP and Kenny MacAskill MSP to undertake meetings in New York, Washington DC, Ottawa and Québec as part of the Tartan Day 2004 celebrations. Delegation will meet with a wide range of officials and government representatives to promote Scotland and build political, cultural and economic relations.

8

09.04.04

Presiding Officer  

Iceland

George Reid MSP, Presiding Officer will pay a courtesy call and lunch with the Speaker of the Icelandic Parliament, Mr Halldór Blöndal and various members of the Icelandic Parliament.  

1

13.04.04

Andre Gagnon

Canada

Principal Clerk from the Journals Branch, Page Programme and Private Members' Business Office within the Canadian House of Commons visited the Parliament to discuss e-petitions and the electronic voting systems.

1

15.04.04

HE Monica Nashandi

Namibia

HE Monica Nashandi, the Namibian High Commissioner and advisor visited the Scottish Parliament and met with the Secretary and Assistant Secretary to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Scotland Branch).  

1

18 to 20.04.04

Plenary Session

Report

BBIPB

Murray Tosh MSP, David McLetchie MSP,   Iain Smith MSP, Margaret Ewing MSP and Helen Eadie MSP travelled out to Cork for the Plenary Session of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body (BIIPB).   Business included debates on the current situation in Northern Ireland, EU Enlargement and the Nordic Council.  

3

20 & 21.04.04

Paul Silk and Dianne Bevan

Programme (pdf)

Wales

The Clerk, Paul Silk and the Deputy Clerk, Dianne Bevan, from the National Assembly of Wales visited the Scottish Parliament to be briefed on the working practices of the Parliament, its management structure and how it operates.   The programme included meetings with a number of Directors/Heads of Office to discuss the work of their Directorates/Departments, as well as attendance at Committee meetings and Plenary.

2

22.04.04

HE Mr Masaki Orita

Japan

HE Mr Masaki Orita, Ambassador of Japan to the UK with pay a courtesy call to the Presiding Officer, observe First Minister's Questions Time and lunch with a cross section of Members.

1

26.04.04

Czech Parliament's European Integration Committee

Czech Republic

Visit organised by the Europe and External Relations Committee. More details to follow.

4

28.04.04

Abkhaz Delegation

Abkhazia, Georgia

Programme (pdf)

A delegation of Parliamentarians and Officials from Abkhaz Parliament will visit the Scottish Parliament.   The NGO Conciliation Resources requested the visit as part of their programme in the Caucasus which focuses on the Georgian/Abkhaz conflict and peace process.   The programme is funded by the UK government’s Global Conflict Prevention Pool (jointly administered by   FCI, DfID and MoD). This visit is one amongst a number of their visits designed to provide opportunity for dialogue and analysis within communities and across the conflict divide.   Included within the programme will be meetings with the Local Government and Transport and Public Petitions Committee as well as a meeting with the Gaelic Officer, Members of the Education Committee and CPG Gaelic to discuss the promotion of Gaelic.

1

29.04.04

HE Dr Alyaksei Mazhukhou

Belarus

Programme (pdf)

The Belarus Ambassador, HE Dr Alyaksei Mazhukhou, will visit the Scottish Parliament.   His visit will include a brief courtesy call with the Presiding Officer, attendance at First Minister's Questions and a tour of the Visitor Centre.

1