Ministers and staff who visited Germany during Euro 2024: FOI release

Information requested

1. List of all ministers and staff (grade/profession if not SCS) who visited Germany during the Euros 2024.

2. The total cost of these trips (broken down by spend).

Response

Three Scottish Government Ministers (First Minister, Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport) travelled to Germany, as guests of the Scottish Football Association, for the three Scotland group matches (one Minister at each game) of the UEFA European Football Championship in June 2024.

The following Scottish Government staff supported Ministers:

First Minister, John Swinney MSP, visit to Munich:
Special Adviser
C2 Policy Officer
C1 Private Secretary
C1 Policy Officer 
B2 Visits & Events Officer                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
B2 Communications Officer

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson MSP, visit to Stuttgart:
B3 Policy Officer
B3 Policy Officer

Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd MSP, visit to Cologne:
C3 Policy Officer
B2 Private Secretary
B2 Policy Officer
B2 Events Officer

In addition, the following Officials travelled to Germany during June for Scottish Government business:
Director of EU Directorate, Martin Johnson
Deputy Director for Major Events, Rachel McKechnie
C2 Policy/Programme Officer

On the total cost of the visits, this is a formal notice that Section 27(1) of FOISA applies to the information you have requested. This exemption allows public authorities to refuse to disclose information if they already plan to publish it within the next 12 weeks. A publication which outlines all costs will be published on the Scottish Government’s website. I will write to you to provide a copy of the website link in due course.

All visits followed the rules on Ministerial overseas visits as set out in the Scottish Ministerial Code. This can be accessed via:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2023-edition

About FOI

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