| Scottish Cabinet | |
| Seal: | Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Government in Scotland).svg |
| Type: | Cabinet |
The Scottish Cabinet is the main decision-making body of the Scottish Government, the devolved government of Scotland. It is headed by the first minister, and made up of cabinet secretaries of the Scottish Government, the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General for Scotland (the Scottish Law Officers), the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government and the Minister for Parliamentary Business.
The cabinet meets each Tuesday within the Cabinet Room located in Bute House in Edinburgh, the official residence of the first minister. If required, the cabinet will meet during periods of parliamentary recess, and is supported by Cabinet Sub-Committees. The sub–committees of the cabinet have delegated authority from the cabinet to take decisions on any legislative matter which do not require full cabinet consideration.[1]
The first Scottish cabinet since 1707 was headed by Donald Dewar in 1999, the inaugural holder of first minister of Scotland following the reconvening of the Scottish Parliament and the passing of the Scotland Act 1998. In his first ministry, Dewar adopted the title "minister" for members of his cabinet.[2] Dewar's deputy first minister and Minister for Justice was Jim Wallace, with Angus MacKay serving as Minister for Finance, Susan Deacon as Minister for Health and Community Care and Wendy Alexander serving as Minister for Communities.[2]
During the premiership of Henry McLeish who succeeded Dewar as first minister in 2000 following Dewar's sudden death, he retained the "minister" titles for members of his cabinet. The McLeish cabinet formed in October 2000 and was dissolved in November 2001 following the resignation of McLeish amongst a political scandal relating to finances.[3] The First McConnell government was formed by first minister Jack McConnell on 27 November 2001 following his appointment as first minister following the resignation by Henry McLeish,[4] and was dissolved on 20 May 2003 following the 2003 Scottish Parliament election.[5] McConnell formed his second cabinet on 20 May 2003 and was dissolved on 16 May 2007, whereby it was replaced by the First Salmond government following Alex Salmond's election victory in the 2007 Scottish Parliament election.[6]
The 2007 election saw the Scottish National Party (SNP) elected to government in Scotland for the first time. Salmond formed his first cabinet on 17 May 2007[7] and was dissolved on 19 May 2011. Salmond replaced the term "minister" for members of his cabinet with the term "cabinet secretaries".[8]
Following the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the SNP returned to government, forming a majority government, the first time in the history of the Scottish Parliament.[9] The Second Salmond government was increased in size, from five cabinet secretaries to eight.[10] Salmond's second cabinet was formed on 19 May 2011 and dissolved on 18 November 2014, following his resignation as first minister following the defeat of the Yes Scotland campaign in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.[11] Salmond's deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, succeeded him as first minister, forming her government cabinet on 20 November 2014. It was formed of ten people: Sturgeon and nine cabinet secretaries. It was gender-balanced with five men and five women.[12] There were thirteen junior ministerial positions outwith the cabinet.[13] The first Sturgeon government was dissolved on 18 May 2016.[14] Following the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Sturgeon returned as first minister, forming the Second Sturgeon government on 18 May 2016. It was dissolved on 19 May 2021 following the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. Sturgeon formed her third cabinet following election victory in the 2021 election, with her third and final cabinet forming on 19 May 2021 and dissolving on 28 March 2023 following her decision to resign as first minister.[15] [16]
Humza Yousaf succeeded Sturgeon as first minister, forming his first cabinet of the Scottish Government on 29 March 2023. His cabinet was dissolved on 25 April 2024 following his decision to withdraw the SNP from the Bute House Agreement.[17] His second cabinet was formed amongst a political crisis and was releatively short lived, formed on 25 April 2024 and dissolving on 7 May 2024 following his resignation as first minister.[18] John Swinney was appointed first minister in May 2024, forming the incumbent Scottish cabinet on 8 May 2024.[19]
From the formation of the Scottish Government in 1999 until the election of Alex Salmond as first minister in 2007, the Lord Advocate was a regular attendee at meetings of the cabinet. After becoming first minister in May 2007, Salmond decided to depoliticise the role of the Lord Advocate by implementing a convention that would see the Lord Advocate only attend cabinet meetings when legal advice was to be given only, and did not participate in wider political debate as they had done from 1999.[20] As a result, the number of occasions where the Lord Advocate would attend cabinet meetings was significantly reduced.[21]
The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government attends all meetings of the cabinet in their capacity as the principal advisor on government policy to the first minister and secretary to the Scottish cabinet. Additionally, the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government serves as the principal accountable officer to the government, with overall responsibility on matters relating to the government's money and resources.[22] Unlike other members of the Scottish cabinet, the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government is accountable to the Scottish Parliament and not the first minister, as is the case with the cabinet secretaries within the Scottish cabinet.[23]
The Minister for Parliamentary Business is the only Scottish Government junior minister who regularly attends meetings of the Scottish cabinet.[24] The minister is directly responsible for Boundaries Scotland, Freedom Of Information (FOI) requests, government and parliamentary business, government statistics, local government elections, the Office of the Chief Researcher, open government and Citizens' Assemblies and Scottish Parliamentary elections. The Minister for Parliamentary Business advises and informs the cabinet on each of these areas, as well as directly supporting the first minister in their functions.[25] The Chief of Staff to the First Minister may also attend cabinet meetings at the request of the first minister.[26]
During significant events impacting Scotland, other Scottish Government junior ministers may be requested to attend cabinet meetings. During the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland, cabinet meetings were attended by junior ministers such as the Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development and the Minister for Community Safety. Other members who may attend the cabinet, at the request of the first minister, include the first minister's principal private secretary, the first minister's official spokesperson and representatives from the first minister's policy and delivery unit.[27] Various cabinet secretariats, senior special advisors and individuals from the Scottish Government press office may also be in attendance at cabinet meetings.[28]
Each first minister has appointed their own government cabinet during their term in office. For comprehensive listing of the cabinets appointed by each first minister, see:
As of 2024, a total of fifty-two travelling cabinet meetings have been undertaken by the Scottish cabinet. Members of the cabinet will travel to other parts of Scotland, out-with Bute House in Edinburgh, to discuss local issues and gather public opinions on a range of government policies and objectives.
In October 2024, the Scottish cabinet travelled to Ayr in South Ayrshire, chaired by the first minister. The cabinet toured local businesses and projects to highlight the objectives of the Scottish Government.
First Minister, John Swinney, said the travelling cabinet "connects with communities across the country and enables us to make informed decisions as we strive to create a wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland".[29]
the makeup of the current Cabinet is as follows:[30]
| Junior ministers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post | Minister | Term | ||
| Minister for Parliamentary Business | Jamie Hepburn | 2024–present | ||
| Minister for Employment and Investment | 2024–present | |||
| Minister for Public Finance | Ivan McKee | 2024–present | ||
| Minister for Public Health and Women's Health | Jenni Minto | 2023–present | ||
| Maree Todd | 2023–present | |||
| Minister for Children, Young People and the Promise | Natalie Don | 2023–present | ||
| Minister for Higher and Further Education Minister for Veterans | Graeme Dey | 2023–present | ||
| Minister for Business | Richard Lochhead | 2023–present | ||
| Minister for Climate Action | Gillian Martin | 2023–present | ||
| Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy | Christina McKelvie | 2024-present | ||
| Minister for Equalities | Kaukab Stewart | 2024–present | ||
| Minister for Housing | Paul McLennan | 2023–present | ||
| Minister for Victims and Community Safety | Siobhian Brown | 2023–present | ||
| Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity | Jim Fairlie | 2024-present | ||