To ask the Presiding Officer how many staff the Parliament employs in Scotland House and what their functions and annual costs are.
The Scottish ParliamentaryCorporate Body (SPCB) has one member of staff based in Brussels ona fixed term basis for one year from April 2003. This was agreed by the SPCB atits meeting of 7 January 2003.
The staff member is linemanaged by the Head of the External Liaison Unit and by the Clerk/Chief Executive. Reports on his work are submitted every month to the Corporate Body.
The remit of the member ofstaff, agreed by the SPCB, is, in accord with the recommendations contained inthe European Committee鈥檚 5th Report of 2002 on Scotland鈥檚 Representation inthe European Union:
toresearch and produce a report to the SPCB on the options for and the practicalaspects of establishing a more permanent Scottish Parliament presence in Brussels,
toprovide support for 成人快手 who serve as delegates to the Committee of the Regionsand the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe, and
tosupport visiting 成人快手 on parliamentary business.
Themember of staff works in office space leased to Scotland Europa in ScotlandHouse. The SPCB is paying 15,429.48 euros to Scotland Europa for the use ofthis office space from April 2003 until April 2004. 成人快手 and parliamentarystaff can also use hot-desk facilities in the office space as a part of theagreement with Scotland Europa.
Overall,the anticipated maximum annual running costs for the one year posting are拢70,000, which includes the office costs, and the member of staff鈥檚 salary,allowances and travel expenses etc.
The SPCB will considerfuture arrangements on the options for, and the practical aspects of,establishing a more permanent Scottish Parliament presence in Brusselsupon receipt of a report by the member of staff in Brussels inearly 2004.