Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Scottish Government on the assignment of designated competent bodies in Scotland for Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visas.

The designated competent bodies under the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent route operate across the whole of the United Kingdom, including Scotland – the route does not restrict an applicant to a particular location or to work for a particular employer.

Where a designated competent body represents the interests of a number of other organisations with similar expertise in its particular field, it is required to consult with those other interested parties when setting and publishing its Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) endorsement requirements or making any changes to them. This includes consultation with equivalent bodies in Scotland who fulfil a similar function to the designated competent bodies.

The Government keeps the list under review and considers applications for bodies to be assigned to the list on a case-by-case basis.