Example: Added costs of Lloyd’s soirees abroad with Sturgeon: Nice for some!!! 

8 Jun 2018: “Special Adviser” expenses and travel and subsistence costs (primarily Liz Lloyd)

The total cost of “Special Adviser” expenses and travel and subsistence costs for 2017/2018 was £26,029.40.

The figure includes expenses claimed through the Scottish Government iExpenses system and expenditure under the Scottish Government travel and accommodation contracts is broken down as follows:

iExpenses = £1,455 (sweeties etc.)

Hotel accommodation = £6,188.06

Travel = £18,386.34

The expenses were primarily incurred by “Special Advisers” supporting the First Minister and Scottish Ministers at events in other parts of the United Kingdom, including intergovernmental negotiations and on foreign visits to Europe and the United States of America taking forward the Scottish Government’s programme. Examples of such visits include:

Supporting the First Minister in New York and San Francisco on visits to discuss potential trade and investment opportunities for Scotland and to boost Scotland’s tourist industry;

Supporting the First Minister at a range of engagements associated with her attendance and speech to the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik;

Accompanying the First Minister to Dublin to meet with the new Taoiseach and engage with potential Irish investors at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce;

Supporting the First Minister when she addressed the COP21 Plenary in Bonn on behalf of the UNFCCC Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action Change;

Accompanying the First Minister to the British Irish Council in Jersey;

Supporting Ministers at meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations in London and in Cardiff;

Supporting Ministers in London at the Devolved Administrations’ meeting with the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs;

Supporting Ministers in London at the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare; and

Supporting Ministers at the Confederation of the Highlands and Islands in Shetland.