| Cabinet Name: | First Salmond government |
| Cabinet Number: | 5th |
| Cabinet Type: | government |
| Flag: | Flag of Scotland.svg |
| Flag Border: | true |
| Jurisdiction: | Scotland |
| Incumbent: | 2007–2011 |
| Date Formed: | 17 May 2007 |
| Date Dissolved: | 19 May 2011 |
| Government Head Title: | First Minister |
| Government Head: | Alex Salmond |
| Government Head History: | 2007–2014 |
| Deputy Government Head: | Nicola Sturgeon |
| State Head Title: | Monarch |
| State Head: | Elizabeth II |
| Total Number: | 16 |
| Opposition Party: | Scottish Labour Party |
| Opposition Leader: | Jack McConnell (2007) Cathy Jamieson (2007) Wendy Alexander (2007-08) Cathy Jamieson (2008) Iain Gray (2008-11) |
| Last Election: | 2011 general election |
| Legislature Term: | 3rd Scottish Parliament |
| Previous: | Second McConnell government |
| Successor: | Second Salmond government |
The first Salmond government, which was sworn in on 17 May 2007 at the start of the 3rd Scottish Parliament, was an SNP minority government.
Having won the largest number of seats in the general election (47 of 129) the SNP sought to form a coalition with the Scottish Liberal Democrats. When those talks failed, the SNP chose to form a one-party minority government. The SNP and Scottish Greens signed an agreement where the Greens supported SNP ministerial appointments, but did not offer support for any confidence or budget votes ("confidence and supply").[1] SNP leader, Alex Salmond was elected First Minister on 16 May 2007; he was officially sworn in and his slate of ministerial appointments were ratified by the Scottish Parliament the following day.
Due to the agreement signed with the Greens, Salmond's investiture vote was successful despite only having 47 of 129 seats in the Parliament. The vote was 49–46, with the SNP and Greens voting in favour and the 46 Scottish Labour MSPs voting against, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats abstaining.[2]
On 16 May 2007, a few hours after Salmond was sworn in by parliament, he announced his intention to form a government composed of five cabinet secretaries and ten junior ministers.[3] Furthermore, the Lord Advocate lost her seat in the cabinet.[4]
A cabinet reshuffle took place in February 2009.[5]
| Cabinet secretaries | ||||
| First Minister | Alex Salmond | 2007–2014 | ||
| Deputy First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon | 2007–2014 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing | 2007–2012 | |||
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth | John Swinney | 2007–2016 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning | Fiona Hyslop | 2007–2009 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Justice | Kenny MacAskill | 2007–2014 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment | Richard Lochhead | 2007–2016 | ||
| Also attending cabinet meetings | ||||
| Permanent Secretary | John Elvidge | 2003–2010 | ||
| Minister for Parliamentary Business | Bruce Crawford | 2007–2011 | ||
| Lord Advocate | Elish Angiolini QC | 2006–2011 | ||
| Cabinet secretaries | ||||
| First Minister | Alex Salmond | 2007–2014 | ||
| Deputy First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon | 2007–2014 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing | 2007–2012 | |||
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth | John Swinney | 2007–2016 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning | 2009–2011 | |||
| Cabinet Secretary for Justice | Kenny MacAskill | 2007–2014 | ||
| Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment | Richard Lochhead | 2007–2016 | ||
| Also attending cabinet meetings | ||||
| Permanent Secretary | Peter Housden | 2010–2015 | ||
| Minister for Parliamentary Business | Bruce Crawford | 2007–2011 | ||
| Lord Advocate | Elish Angiolini QC | 2006–2011 | ||
| Junior ministers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Post | Minister | Term |
| Minister for Parliamentary Business | 2007–2011 | |
| Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture | 2007–2009 | |
| Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution | 2009 | |
| Minister for Culture and External Affairs | 2009–2011 | |
| Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism | 2007–2011 | |
| Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change | 2007–2010 | |
| Minister for Transport and Infrastructure | Keith Brown MSP | 2010–2011 |
| Minister for Schools and Skills | 2007–2009 | |
| 2009–2010 | ||
| Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning | ||
| 2010–2011 | ||
| Minister for Children and Early Years | 2007–2011 | |
| Minister for Public Health | 2007–2009 | |
| Minister for Public Health and Sport | 2009–2011 | |
| Minister for Communities and Sport | 2007–2009 | |
| Minister for Housing and Communities | 2009–2011 | |
| Minister for Community Safety | 2007–2011 | |
| Minister for Environment | 2007–2009 | |
| 2009–2010 | ||
| Minister for Environment and Climate Change | 2010–2011 | |
| Law officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Post | Name | Term | |
| Lord Advocate | The Right Hon. Elish Angiolini QC | 2007–2011 | |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | The Right Hon. Frank Mulholland QC | 2007–2011 | |