NICOLA STURGEON has made sweeping changes to her Cabinet.
The First Minister’s reshuffle sees five new Cabinet Secretaries and nine new junior ministers appointed.
https://twitter.com/NicolaSturgeon/status/1011918443317260288
Deputy SNP leader Keith Brown, Shona Robison and Angela Constance have all left Government, while Jeanne Freeman and Humza Yousaf have received promotions to new posts.
Freeman replaces Robison as Health Secretary, while Yousaf takes on the role of Justice Secretary.
He will lead on the delivery of new hate crime laws for Scotland.
Michael Matheson now has a new post of overseeing transport, infrastructure and connectivity, and Derek Mackay is appointed Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work.
Mike Russell, Shirley-Anne Somerville and Aileen Campbell, who had all had ministerial roles, have also joined the cabinet, with Mr Russell, who had been the Scottish Government’s Brexit minister, taking on the newly created post of Government Business and Constitutional Relations Secretary.
Fiona Hyslop, Fergus Ewing, John Swinney and Roseanna Cunningham remain in their previous posts
Who’s who in Sturgeon’s Cabinet
NICOLA STURGEON – First Minister
JOHN SWINNEY – Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
HUMZA YOUSAF – Cabinet Secretary for Justice
JEANE FREEMAN – Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport
DEREK MACKAY – Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work
ROSEANNA CUNNINGHAM – Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform
FERGUS EWING – Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy
MIKE RUSSELL – Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations
AILEEN CAMPBELL – Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government
FIONA HYSLOP – Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs
MICHAEL MATHESON – Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity
SHIRLEY-ANNE SOMERVILLE – Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People
Ms Sturgeon said on Tuesday that the reshuffle “brings fresh talent to the Scottish Government and ensures that we are fully equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities facing the country in the months and years ahead”.
Today, a number of new junior ministers have also been appointed.
The new team – welcome to a fab group of new ministers. #reshuffle pic.twitter.com/IefqcTjNsD
— Elizabeth Lloyd (@eliz_lloyd) June 27, 2018
Seven of the new appointments were elected to Holyrood for the first time in 2016 as the First Minister said she wanted “fresh talent” in government.
These include Kate Forbes, given the new post of minister for public finance and digital economy; Claire Haughey, who takes the Mental Health brief from Maureen Watt; and Gillian Martin, given responsibility for further education, higher education and science following her predecessor’s promotion to a secretarial postion.
Other 2016 starts in the new team are Ash Denham, who takes on community safety, Ben MacPherson who takes the expanded brief of europe, migration and international development from Alasdair Allan, Mairi Gougeon in the new role covering rural affairs and the natural environment and Ivan McKee who takes responsibility for trade and investment.
Christina McKelvie was appointed to a new role covrering older people and equalities, while Graeme Dey takes on parliamentary business and veterans.
Ms Sturgeon said: “The new ministers I am announcing today bring a range of fresh talent to the Scottish Government, ensuring that we are equipped to deal with the challenges and maximise the opportunities facing the people of Scotland.
“The ministerial team represents constituencies the length and breadth of Scotland, coming with a range of professional backgrounds and bringing a breadth of real life experience to their roles.
“For instance, Claire Haughey brings her extensive background as a mental health nurse to the mental health portfolio, Kate Forbes will bring her finance background to bear in her brief, Gillian Martin has long experience in further education as a college lecturer, and Ivan McKee brings the expertise he has acquired from a highly successful career in business to the role of Trade and Innovation Minister.”
The full list of Cabinet secretaries and ministers
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
John Swinney
Minister for Children and Young People
Maree Todd
Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science
Gillian Martin
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work
Derek Mackay
Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills (also reports to Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills)
Jamie Hepburn
Minister for Public Finances and Digital Economy
Kate Forbes
Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation
Ivan McKee
Cabinet Secretary for Justice
Humza Yousaf
Minister for Community Safety
Ash Denham
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs
Fiona Hyslop
Minister for Europe, Migration & International Development
Ben Macpherson
Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Minister for Older People and Equalities
Christina McKelvie
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy
Fergus Ewing
Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment (also reports to Cabinet Secretary for Environment)
Mairi Gougeon
Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform
Roseanna Cunningham
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport
Jeane Freeman
Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing
Joe FitzPatrick
Minister for Mental Health
Clare Haughey
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity
Michael Matheson
Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands
Paul Wheelhouse
Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government
Aileen Campbell
Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning
Kevin Stewart
Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations
Michael Russell
Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans
Graeme Dey
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