To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25531 by Patricia Ferguson on 22 May 2006, who the members are of the informal Cross Party Group on Fair Trade; how often the group has met since 25 January 2005; how the Fair Trade agenda and the aspiration for Scotland to become a Fair Trade Nation have progressed, and whether relevant criteria for a Fair Trade Nation have been established following liaison with the Fairtrade Foundation and the Welsh Assembly Government.
The members of the informalCross Party Group on Fair Trade ,to avoid confusion, now called the All PartyGroup on Fair Trade are:
Patricia Ferguson, Ministerfor Tourism, Culture and Sport (Chair)
Jamie Stone MSP, ScottishLiberal Democrats
Murdo Fraser MSP, ScottishConservative and Unionist Party
Mark Ballard MSP, ScottishGreen Party
Dennis Canavan MSP,Independent
Michael Matheson MSP,Scottish National Party
Des McNulty MSP, ScottishLabour (who resigned upon his appointment as Deputy Minister for Communities).
The group has met fourtimes: on 26 May 2005, 25 January 2006, 15 June 2006 and 16 November 2006.
During this time,significant progress has been made taking forward the fair trade agenda,particularly with reference to the structures required to deliver the aspirationto become a Fair Trade Nation. The first ever conference of the Fair Trademovement in Scotland took place on 27 January 2007 with the specific purpose ofdiscussing the creation of a Scottish Fair Trade Forum to co-ordinateimplementation. The next meeting of the All Party Group will consider anyrecommendations that come out of this conference.
The full Fair Trade Nationcriteria (announced by the First Minister on 3 July 2006) which were developed in consultationwith the Welsh Assembly Government and the Fairtrade Foundation, can be foundat http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/News-Extras/fair-trade.