ABSTRACT
The Scotland Act 1998 appears to answer the question of the role of the Scottish Parliament and Executive in foreign policy, foreign, international, or external relations very clearly and directly. Given the nature of the contemporary political system, even the provisions of the Scotland Act cannot rule out the Scottish Parliament's involvement in international or foreign relations. The British Government acting outwith the Scotland Act has itself acknowledged that there is an international role for the Parliament, namely its responsibilities and role in the 'British-Irish Council' that was part of the 'The Agreement' arrived at on Good Friday 1998 between the various parties involved in the attempt to resolve the Northern Ireland crisis. The concordats attempted to set out the working practices that will apply in the relations between London and Edinburgh (with others referring to Wales), including the procedures to ensure that Scottish interests and views are taken fully into account in formulating the overall UK approach.
