![]() | 'So far, no particular intrigue. But look at their replacements: Mike Russell at culture; Roseanna Cunningham replacing him at environment; Keith Brown at schools and Alex Neil at communities. Alex Salmond says this represents "fresh talent". Few would dispute the word talent - and they are "fresh" in that three of them have no ministerial experience. But, with the exception of Mr Brown who has performed with diligence at Holyrood, these are scarcely untested politicians. To the contrary, they are big names with a hinterland of their own in the SNP.' BBC Scotland Political Editor Brian Taylor, 10 th February 2009. | ![]() |

Michael Russell MSP (South of Scotland) becomes Minister for Culture, External Affairs & the Constitution, replacing Linda Fabiani MSP (Central Scotland) previously Minister for Europe, External Affairs & Culture.
Roseanna Cunningham MSP (Perth) is promoted from the backbenches to succeed Mike Russell as Minister for the Environment.
Alex Neil MSP (Central Scotland) is promoted from the backbenches to Minister for Housing & Sport, replacing Stephen Maxwell MSP (West of Scotland), previously Minister for Communities & Sport.
The Sport portfolio is given to Shona Roobison who becomes Minister for Sport & Public Health.
Keith Brown MSP (Ochil) is promoted from the benches to Minister for Schools & Skills, replacing Maureen Watt MSP (North East Scotland.)
| The Office of the First Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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First Minister & Custodian of the Great Seal of Scotland | ![]() |
Minister for Parliamentary Business |
| Alex Salmond, MSP MP | Bruce Crawford, MSP | ||
|
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £135,605 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | ||
| The responsibilities of the First Minister include: Head of the devolved Scottish government: responsible for development, implementation and presentation of Government policy, constitutional affairs, and for promoting and representing Scotland. The responsibilities of the Minister for Parliamentary Business include: Parliamentary affairs and the management of Government business in the Parliament. The responsibilities of the Minister for Culture, External Affairs & the Constitution include: Europe, external affairs, constitutional affairs, culture and the arts, architecture, built heritage, Historic Scotland and lottery funding, major events strategy, and Gaelic. |
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Minister for Culture, External Affairs & the Constitution | |
| Michael Russell, MSP | |||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | |||
| Cabinet Secretaries | Ministers | ||
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Deputy First Minister, & Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing | ![]() |
Minister for Sport & Public Health |
| Nicola Sturgeon MSP | Shona Robison, MSP | ||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £96,999 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | ||
| The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing include: NHS, health service reform, allied healthcare services, acute and primary services, performance, quality and improvement framework, health promotion, sport, public health, health improvement, pharmaceutical services, food safety and dentistry, community care, older people, mental health, learning disability, substance misuse, social inclusion, equalities, anti-poverty measures, housing and regeneration. | ![]() |
Minister for Housing & Communities | |
| Alex Neil, MSP | |||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | |||
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Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth | ![]() |
Minister for Enterprise, Energy & Tourism |
| John Swinney MSP | Jim Mather, MSP | ||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £96,999 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | ||
| The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth include: The economy, the Scottish Budget, public service reform, de-regulation, local government, public service delivery, cities and community planning, General Register Office, Registers of Scotland, relocation, e-government, Scottish Public Pensions Agency, procurement, budgetary monitoring, business and industry including Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, trade and inward investment, corporate social responsibility, voluntary sector and the social economy, community business and corporate development, European Structural Funds, energy, tourism, land use planning system, climate change, building standards, transport policy and delivery, public transport, road, rail services, air and ferry services, Scottish Water. | ![]() |
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure & Climate Change | |
| Stewart Stevenson, MSP | |||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | |||
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Cabinet Secretary for Education, & Lifelong Learning | ![]() |
Minister for Schools and Skills |
| Fiona Hyslop, MSP | Keith Brown, MSP | ||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £96,999 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | ||
| The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Education, & Lifelong Learning include: Further and higher education, science and lifelong learning, school education, training and skills, HM Inspectorate of Education and the Scottish Qualifications Authority, nurseries and childcare, children's services, children's hearings, social work and HM Social Work Inspectorate. | ![]() |
Minister for Children & Early Years | |
| Adam Ingram, MSP | |||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | |||
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Cabinet Secretary for Justice | ![]() |
Minister for Community Safety |
| Kenny MacAskill MSP | Fergus Ewing, MSP | ||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £96,999 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | ||
| The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice include: Criminal law and procedure, youth justice, criminal justice social work, police, prisons and sentencing policy, legal aid, legal profession, courts and law reform, anti-social behaviour, sectarianism, human rights, fire and rescue services, community safety, civil contingencies, drugs policy and related matters, liquor licensing, vulnerable witnesses, victim support and civil law, charity law, religious and faith organisations. | |||
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Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs & the Environment | ![]() |
Minister for the Environment |
| Richard Lochhead, MSP | Roseanna Cunningham, MSP | ||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £96,999 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 | ||
| The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs & the Environment include: Agriculture, fisheries and rural development including aquaculture and forestry, environment and natural heritage, land reform, water quality regulation and sustainable development. | |||
The Lord Advocate is no longer a member of the cabinet in a move to separate legal and political roles. Neither the present Lord Advocate nor the Solicitor General is a member of a political party.
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Lord Advocate | ![]() |
Solicitor General |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rt Hon Elish Angiolini QC | Frank Mulholland | ||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £109,752 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £94,697 | ||
| The responsibilities of the Lord Advocate include: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, prosecution of crime, investigation of sudden deaths, complaints against the police, support for victims and witnesses of crime, international cooperation (including mutual legal assistance and extradition), confiscation of proceeds of crime. The responsibilities of the Solicitor General include: Legal advice to Scottish Ministers, civil litigation, constitutional issues and appointment of Counsel. | |||
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Deputy Presiding Officer |
|---|---|
| Alasdair Morgan, MSP | |
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £81,449 |
|
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Member of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body |
| Tricia Marwick, MSP | |
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Member of the Parliamentary Bureau |
| Bruce Crawford, MSP | |
(Also Minister for Parliamentary Business) |
| Parliamentary Liaison Officers to the Office of the First Minister of the Scottish Government | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP | ![]() |
Keith Brown, MSP |
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
||
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Aileen Campbell, MSP | ![]() |
Professor Christopher Harvie, MSP |
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
||
| Parliamentary Liaison Officers to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing of the Scottish Government Parliamentary Liaison Officers to the Deputy First Minister of the Scottish Government |
|||
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Dr Ian McKee, MSP | ![]() |
Stuart McMillan, MSP |
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
||
| Parliamentary Liaison Officers to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth of the Scottish Government | |||
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Joe FitzPatrick, MSP | ![]() |
Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP |
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
||
| Parliamentary Liaison Officers to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning of the Scottish Government | |||
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Bob Doris, MSP | ![]() |
Jamie Hepburn, MSP |
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
||
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Christina McKelvie, MSP | ||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
|||
| Parliamentary Liaison Officers to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice of the Scottish Government | |||
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Angela Constance, MSP | ![]() |
Nigel Don, MSP |
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
||
| Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs of the Scottish Government | |||
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Rob Gibson, MSP | ||
| Salary: From 1 April 2008: £55,381 |
|||
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Convenor of the Finance Committee |
|---|---|
| Andrew Welsh, MSP | |
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Convenor of the Standards, Procedures & Public Appointments Committee |
| Gil Paterson, MSP | |
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Convenor of the Health & Sport Committee |
| Christine Grahame, MSP | |
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Convenor of the Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme Committee |
| Alasdair Morgan, MSP | |
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Chief Whip |
|---|---|
| Brian Adam, MSP | |
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Assistant Whip |
| Dave Thompson, MSP | |
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Assistant Whip |
| Bill Kidd, MSP | |
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SNP Group Convenor |
| Gil Paterson, MSP | |
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SNP Group Vice Convenor |
| Angela Constance, MSP | |
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SNP Group Secretary |
| Joe Fitzpatrick, MSP | |
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