Cabinet Secretary for Finance
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance (Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson an Ionmhais), commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary has Ministerial responsibility for the Scottish Government's Finance Directorates.
 Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy | |
|---|---|
| Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson an Ionmhais agus an Eaconamaidh | |
 | |
| Finance Directorates Scottish Government Scottish Cabinet | |
| Style | Cabinet Secretary (within parliament) Finance Secretary (informal) Scottish Finance Secretary (outwith Scotland) |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | Scottish Parliament |
| Seat | Edinburgh |
| Appointer | First Minister |
| Inaugural holder | Jack McConnell Minister for Finance |
| Formation | July 1999 |
| Deputy | |
| Salary | £118,511 per annum (2023)[2] (including £67,662 MSP salary) |
| Website | www |
The finance secretary is supported by the Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise and Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth.[3]
The post is currently held by Shona Robison who was appointed in March 2023, replacing Kate Forbes who left the Scottish Government, upon the election of Humza Yousaf as First Minister.
History edit
Following devolution in 1999, the Government of First Minister Donald Dewar instituted the position as the Minister for Finance, which was renamed the Minister for Finance and Local Government in the Government of Henry McLeish from 2000 to 2001. In the first Government of Jack McConnell, from 2001 to 2003, the position was renamed as the Minister for Finance and Public Services, changed to the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform after a reshuffle of the Second McConnell government in 2004. The first Government of Alex Salmond in 2007 combined the Minister for Finance element, with that of Enterprise and Transport to create the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth. After the 2011 election the position was named Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth and the transport portfolio was moved under the remit of another Cabinet position. In November 2014, the first Sturgeon government renamed the position to Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy, and in 2016 it was again renamed to Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution. It was further renamed to Finance, Economy and Fair Work in June 2018, taking some additional responsibilities from the position of Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work which was abolished, but losing some constitutional responsibilities to the Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations.[4] The title was shortened to simply Cabinet Secretary for Finance in February 2020, with the responsibilities of the former Economy Secretary separated again and transferred over to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture.[5] The economic responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture were again combined with those of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on 19 May 2021 in the position of Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy.
Overview edit
Responsibilities edit
The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy include:
- Scottish budget
- public finances
- fiscal policy and taxation
- economic strategy
- wellbeing economy
- trade and inward investment
- city and regional growth deals
- enterprise
- digital economy
- planning
- tourism
- trades unions
- government procurement
- local government finance
- public bodies policy
- public sector pay
Public bodies edit
The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy:
List of Office holders edit
There have been seven office holders since the establishment of Scottish devolution.
| Name | Portrait | Entered Office | Left Office | Party | First Minister | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister for Finance | ||||||
| Jack McConnell | 
|
19 May 1999 | 26 October 2000 | Scottish Labour Party | Donald Dewar | |
| Minister for Finance and Local Government | ||||||
| Angus Mackay | 
|
26 October 2000 | 22 November 2001 | Scottish Labour Party | Henry McLeish | |
| Minister for Finance and Public Services | ||||||
| Andy Kerr | 
|
22 November 2001 | 4 October 2004 | Scottish Labour Party | Jack McConnell | |
| Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform | ||||||
| Tom McCabe | 
|
4 October 2004 | 17 May 2007 | Scottish Labour Party | Jack McConnell | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth | ||||||
| John Swinney | .jpg)
|
17 May 2007 | 19 May 2011 | Scottish National Party | Alex Salmond | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth | ||||||
| John Swinney |
|
19 May 2011 | 21 November 2014 | Scottish National Party | Alex Salmond | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy | ||||||
| John Swinney | 
|
21 November 2014 | 18 May 2016 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution | ||||||
| Derek Mackay | 
|
18 May 2016 | 26 June 2018 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work | ||||||
| Derek Mackay |
|
26 June 2018 | 5 February 2020 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance | ||||||
| Kate Forbes | 
|
17 February 2020 | 20 May 2021 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy | ||||||
| Kate Forbes | 
|
20 May 2021 | 28 March 2023 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance | ||||||
| Shona Robison | 
|
29 March 2023 | Incumbent | Scottish National Party | Humza Yousaf | |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Shona Robison replaces Kate Forbes as finance secretary in new cabinet". BBC News. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "MSP salaries". parliament.scot. The Scottish Parliament. 5 April 2023.
- ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy - gov.scot". gov.scot. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
- ^ "New Cabinet appointed". Scottish Government. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ "Cabinet Appointments". Scottish Government. 17 February 2020.