At the Committee’s meeting on 4 September 2007, the Committee agreed to undertake an inquiry into international development.

Inquiry remit

As a first step, the Committee agreed to consult on issues for inclusion in the inquiry remit.  The Committee took evidence from international development stakeholders at a round table discussion at its meeting on 2 October 2007.  Click here to view the Official Report for this meeting.

In addition, the Committee invited written evidence on issues.  Click here to view the written evidence received in relation to the inquiry remit. (105KB pdf)

The Committee considered and agreed a remit for the inquiry at its meeting on 30 October 2007.

The remit for the inquiry was agreed as:

To take a strategic overview of international development issues within Scotland and to consider and report on the role of a Scottish Government international development policy and how value can be added to the international development work that is already on-going in Scotland.

This will include consideration of the respective roles of:

• Scottish Government (including a consideration of the UK context and roles of the UK Government/ Department for International Development and broader context of international development work undertaken by the House of Commons’ International Development Committee and European Parliament’s Development Committee);
• Scottish Parliament (including relevant cross party groups and the Scotland branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA));
• Business and private sector;
• Public (including education and health) sector;
• Wider civil society, including charities, voluntary sector and community groups;
• Philanthropic foundations;
• Academic sector.

Written evidence

The Committee sought views from interested organisations and individuals on international development.  In particular, the Committee was interested in exploring the following:

• What should the strategic aim of any international development policy be?
• How can a meaningful analysis of the needs of developing countries be made to inform any international development policy?
• How should efforts be divided between raising awareness of international development issues within Scotland and focusing resources on granting project funding to NGOs to undertake projects in developing countries? 
• What are the most effective ways to raise awareness of the needs of developing countries and what Scots can do to help address these needs?
• Should an international development policy have a geographical focus?
• Should an international development policy have a thematic focus, such as on education, health, civil governance issues and, if so, how many and which themes should be included?
• How can Scotland develop innovative methods of developing an international development policy in order to raise awareness in Scotland, maximise the impact of project funding and ensure the sustainability of projects?
• How should any Scottish Government international development policy be administered to ensure that it is efficient, accountable and transparent and meet agreed best practice standards?
• How can the European and External Relations Committee add value to the existing international development work within Scotland?

Click here to view the written evidence received. (828KB pdf)

A summary of the written evidence was considered by the Committee at its meeting on 19 February 2008.

Europe Day 2008 conference

At the Committee's meeting on 8 January 2008, Members agreed to hold a conference for young people on EU development issues to mark Europe Day on Friday 9 May 2008.  The conference focussed on themes from the inquiry and the report of the conference will be used as written evidence to the Committee.

Click here to see press release

Schools across Scotland were invited to apply to attend the conference and eight schools were randomly selected to participate.  The participating schools were:

• Williamwood High School, Clarkston
• Saint Roch’s Secondary School, Glasgow
• Ullapool High School, Ullapool
• St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh
• Kirkland High School and Community College, Leven
• Mintlaw Academy, Mintlaw
• Hawick High School, Hawick
• Saint Ninian’s High School, Bishopbriggs

Click here to see the report from the conference (184 KB pdf)

Commonwealth Parliamenary Association (Scotland branch) visit to Malawi, 8 - 15 February 2008

Alasdair Morgan MSP was a delegate on the CPA (Scotland branch) visit to Malawi and followed up a number of themes set out in the inquiry remit during his visit.

Further information on the CPA (Scotland branch) can be found on the External Liaison section of the web site.  Alasdair Morgan MSP's report of the visit was considered by the Committee at its meeting on 4 March 2008 and can be viewed with the committee papers for that meeting.

Oral evidence

The Committee considered the schedule for oral evidence sessions at its meeting on 19 February 2008.  The schedule below reflects changes to the agreed schedule, due to witness availability:

4 March - Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Scotland Branch) and relevant cross party groups; then individuals and organisations related to Malawi issues

11 March - Academic perspective

18 March - Development NGOs

15 April - Jack McConnell MSP; then Malcolm Bruce MP, Chairman, International Development Committee

29 April - Philanthropic foundations; then secondary school teachers from Malawi

13 May - Awareness issues; then economic and business representatives

27 May - Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture

Report

The Committee published its final report on 20 June 2008.

Contact details

Please contact the Clerk to the Committee, Jim Johnston, for further information on 0131 348 5234 or europe@scottish.parliament.uk