Foreign exchange

John Kelly (Letters, 28 July) worries about the proposed setting up of a Scottish Foreign Office.

He notes that there is no provision in the Scotland Act for foreign affairs to be devolved.

Fortunately for Malawi, this did not stop a Labour-led Scottish administration from giving aid to that country or the current SNP one from continuing and increasing that aid.

Of course, tax from Scotland also aids Malawi and other countries through the UK’s Department For International Development and through the EU, 
but arguably the relatively smaller amount given direct is 
better targeted and better value for money.

It may also be relevant that when Norway took independence from Sweden in 1905, the immediate cause of that step was a resolution of the (“devolved”) Norwegian Parliament to set up a separate Norwegian consular service to improve Norwegian representation throughout the world.

David Stevenson

Blacket Place

Edinburgh