Scottish Education Secretary confirms she will represent UK in Europe

Angela Constance has confirmed she will represent the UK at the EU Education council, after an invitation to do so by UK Education Secretary Nicky Morgan.

Constance will take part and speak on behalf of the UK at the upcoming EU Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council in Brussels on 12 December.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We welcome this recognition that Scottish ministers should be able to lead in EU council.  We look forward to the UK Government implementing the Smith proposals and improving consultation and representation of the Scottish Government on European issues.”

Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael welcomed the move. “The Concordat recognises that the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a role to play in relevant Council meetings and I am pleased to see this being taken forward as normal,” he said.

It is not the first time a Scottish Education Secretary has represented the UK. Constance’s predecessor Michael Russell recently said he took part in a Teachers’ summit in New Zealand last year alongside EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan because “no teaching union would go with Michael Gove”.