Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30105 on 15 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

The First Minister met the Maldives President''s Envoy for Science and Technology in Edinburgh on 11 December 2009 and then met President Nasheed of the Maldives in Copenhagen on 15 December 2009 during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) climate conference where they signed a Joint Statement and then addressed The Climate Group''s Climate Leaders Summit of over 60 state and regional government ministers.

Co-operation on the partnership has made good progress and a further announcement will be made at the earliest suitable opportunity.

Officials from The Scottish European Green Energy Centre in Aberdeen, Business, Enterprise and Energy Directorate, the Energy Technology Partnership and Culture and External Affairs Directorate have all had direct contact and discussions with representatives of the Maldives Government. Officials from the Climate Change and Water Industry Directorate are providing co-ordination and briefing.

The Promoting Positive Outcomes Implementation Plan was published at the end of October 2009 and the first annual report on implementation will be presented in the autumn.

Once the Scottish Government was made aware of Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance''s intention to buy The Gathering 2009 Ltd, officials had a number of discussions with officials from the City of Edinburgh Council about the council''s plans. As usual, this included discussions on the presentational aspects of the decision. Scottish Government ministers and officials were provided with an advance copy of the press release to enable the then Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution to provide a quote for inclusion in the release.

The First Minister and officials met with representatives of the City of Edinburgh Council, VisitScotland and a third party organisation on 12 October 2009 to discuss the possibility of that third party organisation buying The Gathering 2009 Ltd in order to secure the future of the Gathering as an event. During the course of that week the City of Edinburgh Council confirmed to the Scottish Government that Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance was considering buying The Gathering 2009 Ltd. Officials from the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council met again on 4 November 2009 to discuss this issue.

The First Minister and officials met representatives of the City of Edinburgh Council, VisitScotland and a third party organisation on 12 October 2009 to discuss the possibility of that third party organisation buying The Gathering 2009 Ltd in order to secure the future of the Gathering as an event. That third party organisation subsequently confirmed that it was not interested in purchasing The Gathering  2009 Ltd. On 13 October 2009, the City of Edinburgh Council informed the Scottish Government that at that stage the council or Destination Edinburgh Marketing Alliance were interested in purchasing the company.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31666 on 9 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31666 on 9 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.