| Post: | Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland |
| Native Name: | Neach-gleidhidh Seula Mòr na h-Alba (Scottish Gaelic) |
| Insignia: | Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Scotland).svg |
| Insigniacaption: | Royal Coat of Arms used by the Monarch in Scotland |
| Flag: | Flag of Scotland Royal Banner of Scotland |
| Flagborder: | yes |
| Incumbent: | John Swinney |
| Incumbentsince: | 8 May 2024 |
| Department: | Scottish Government Crown Estate Scotland Registers of Scotland |
| Status: | Great Officer of the Crown in Scotland |
| Member Of: | Privy Council Scottish Government Scottish Cabinet |
| Residence: | Bute House |
| Appointer: | The Monarch |
| Termlength: | Whilst serving as First Minister |
| Formation: | 1389 |
| First: | Sir Alexander de Cockburn (1389–1396) |
| Unofficial Names: | Keeper of the Seal of Scotland Keeper of the Scottish Seal |
| Deputy: | |
| Website: | Registers of the Great Seal |
The Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Neach-gleidhidh Seula Mòr na h-Alba) is the keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, and one of the great officers of state in Scotland. The Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland is the incumbent First Minister of Scotland, formally the First Minister and Keeper of the Scottish Seal, a role currently held by John Swinney since 8 May 2024.[1]
Under the terms of a royal warrant of 1818,[2] the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, the Lord Clerk Register, the Lord Advocate, and the Lord Justice Clerk are ex-officio Commissioners for the Keeping of the Regalia.[3] Since 1996, the commissioners have also been empowered by another royal warrant for the safekeeping of the Stone of Scone and for the arrangement of its return to Westminster Abbey for the next British coronation.[4]
The post was formerly known as Keeper of the Seal of the Kingdom of Scotland. The Keeper of the Registers of Scotland is the Deputy Keeper of the Great Seal, and ultimately responsible for its use. The Register of the Great Seal is the oldest national record in Scotland.[5]
The Chancellor of Scotland had the custody of the King's Seal.[6] The first recorded office holder was Sir Alexander de Cockburn in 1389. The Act of Union passed in 1707 to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain, resulting in both the Kingdom of Scotland and Kingdom of England relinquishing their independence, abolished the Great Seal of Scotland. Following this, a different seal was created in order to be used in relation to documents that had, up until the Act of Union 1707, usually passed the Great Seal. The replacement seal is commonly referred to as the Great Seal, or the Scottish Seal, today.[5]
The continuation of a seal was one of the guaranteed elements in the Treaty of Union. The guarantee set out in the Act of Union provided that “a Seal in Scotland after the Union be always kept and made use of in all things relating to private Rights or Grants which have usually passed the Great Seal of Scotland, and which only concern Offices, Grants, Commissions, and private Rights within that Kingdom". The Scotland Act 1998 references the current seal of Scotland as “the seal appointed by the Treaty of Union to be kept and made use of in place of the Great Seal of Scotland".[7]
The first Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland post Treaty of Union in 1707 was Hugh Campbell, 3rd Earl of Loudoun (1708–1713).
Until the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland was usually the Secretary of State for Scotland until the responsibility passed to the First Minister of Scotland. In April 2023, First Minister Humza Yousaf, in his capacity as the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, oversaw the departure of the Stone of Scone, an ancient symbol of Scotland's nationhood, for Westminster Abbey for usage in the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla on 6 May.[8]
All incumbent First Ministers assume the role of Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. As Deputy Keeper of the Great Seal, the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland is required to attend the ceremonial appointment of the first minister to the position of the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, and to ensure that the Seal of Scotland is present during the ceremonial appointment. Once appointed as Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, the office holder has the authority to make decisions on behalf of the monarch which allows the first minister as Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland to lead the country with the support of the Scottish Parliament in the name of the incumbent Monarch.[9]
The ceremonial appointing of the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland takes place at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, witnessed by senior judges with the Seal of Scotland being present. During the ceremonial appointment, the first minister, as the nominee to the position, signs a parchment and promises to serve the monarch during their tenure as both First Minister and Keeper of the Scottish Seal.[10]
When not being used for ceremonial purposes, the Great Seal of Scotland is kept at Meadowbank House in Edinburgh.[11]
The Great Seal of Scotland is applied to documents as authorised by the Monarch. The Great Seal of Scotland is used to cast a wax seal, which is applied to official documents and acts of law as part of their authentication and approval by the Monarch. The Great Seal of Scotland features the reigning monarch on one side, while the other side shows the Royal Arms as used by the Monarch in Scotland.
Within the Treason Act 1708, Section 12 makes it an act of treason in Scotland to counterfeit the seal.[7]
The Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland has an overview and responsibility of the following operations and departments in Scotland:
The following are keepers of the Great Seal who served as secretaries for Scotland (1885–1926).
The following are keepers of the Great Seal who served as secretaries of state for Scotland (1926–1999).
The office of the Keeper of the Great Seal was transferred on 6 May 1999, to the First Minister, in accordance with the terms of section 45(7) of the Scotland Act 1998.