Hansard

Before I turn to the substance of the motions, I will recognise those members of the previous Government who are leaving office. Former Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has had a distinguished career as the first female finance secretary. She has also delivered many significant measures to boost the Scottish economy, from her work to secure investment in Scotland to the creation of our Techscaler programme to support Scotland’s start-ups and entrepreneurs.

Shona Robison spearheaded the Commonwealth games and the Ryder cup, served as Deputy First Minister and concluded her career by commandingly leading three budgets through our Parliament.

Fiona Hyslop delivered significant improvements in the transport network, began the extension of early learning and childcare, championed our culture sector and represented Scotland to the world for more than a decade.

Mairi Gougeon was the driving force behind legislation to protect wildlife, support our farming and rural communities and ensure that our food system is fair, healthy and sustainable.

Angus Robertson ensured that Scotland remains close to Europe and active in global politics, and that we protect and support our culture and arts.

Graeme Dey helped to bring the 26th United Nations climate change conference of the parties—COP26—to Glasgow and to deliver free bus travel for under-22s, and, on two occasions, he capably steered the Government’s programme through Parliament.

Richard Lochhead has been a friend to Scotland’s businesses, particularly small businesses, and was a long-serving rural affairs secretary in the Scottish Government.

Natalie Don-Innes passionately championed children’s rights over her three years in office. By leading major reforms of the children’s care system last year, she helped to ensure that Scotland keeps the Promise.

Kaukab Stewart led the Government’s national equalities and inclusion work and managed her portfolio with grace and empathy, both of which have been needed more than ever in the equalities agenda.

Jenni Minto led on public health and women’s health and was a champion of both. She led on the Government’s health plan and the miscarriage patient charter, and on community and preventative measures in health. I thank her warmly for her service.

I thank all those who have served in the Government in Scotland, and I wish all of them the very best for the future.

Turning to today’s appointments, I made it clear during the election campaign that I would lead a Government that is resolutely focused on the key challenges that Scotland faces. From eradicating poverty to tackling climate change and to growing the economy, those issues span our society. No one area of Government can solve them in isolation; it takes the whole of our Government and all of us working together to achieve that objective. That principle follows the design of the Cabinet that has been put in place—leaner, but with greater purpose, co-ordination and effectiveness because of that, ensuring a clear focus on our long-term outcomes, which are underpinned by collaboration across Government.

A number of my appointments have already served in ministerial office. First, I am delighted that Jenny Gilruth has agreed to serve as Deputy First Minister. Over a number of years, Jenny Gilruth has proven herself to be a highly capable minister, dealing with a number of challenging responsibilities. She has demonstrated her ability to work across party lines and with our partners in local government, most notably by averting teacher strikes earlier this year. As part of her cross-Government role, the Deputy First Minister will hold the crucial finance brief, with responsibility for securing agreement each year on the Scottish budget. I know that she will continue in that spirit of cross-party collaboration. Jenny Gilruth will work particularly closely with Ivan McKee, who will take on the crucial new Cabinet role of Cabinet Secretary for Public Sector Reform.

Ivan McKee will lead on ensuring that Scotland’s public services are effective and making efficient use of public funds. I have seen, up close, how we can dramatically improve outcomes by changing how we organise services—for instance, with the change in our approach to delivering whole family support. That will be the focus of Ivan McKee’s work.

Stephen Flynn joins the Cabinet with responsibility for the economy, tourism and transport. Marrying those three important roles together is a recognition of how developing Scotland’s economy and improving our connectivity go hand in hand.

A number of other cabinet secretaries returned to Cabinet, in recognition of their strong track record of delivery, but with new responsibilities. Angela Constance has made an outstanding contribution as justice secretary, dealing with the great challenges in our prison system as well as introducing landmark changes to support victims and witnesses in the justice system. I welcome Angela Constance to the role of Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care, in which her formidable expertise will be deployed to ensure that the national health service meets the needs of members of the public.

Neil Gray, who has been instrumental in delivering falling waiting times in our NHS, alongside the network of general practitioner walk-in clinics, will become justice secretary, continuing the Scottish Government’s work to keep people safe, which is the first duty of any Government.

Màiri McAllan has served with distinction in all her responsibilities, most recently in the crucial housing brief. I am delighted that she will now take on the vital role of Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic. She will put her talent, drive and determination to work in delivering the expansion of early learning and childcare and continued improvements in Scottish education. Nurturing Scottish culture is fundamental to who we are, and that responsibility will also be taken forward by Màiri McAllan.

Gillian Martin will continue her good work in the climate action portfolio, building on the climate change plan that the Government published at the end of the previous session. She will now add responsibility for rural affairs to her brief.

Lastly in Cabinet, Shirley-Anne Somerville will continue her outstanding work on driving my personal mission of the eradication of child poverty in Scotland. Under her leadership, child poverty in Scotland is falling and stands significantly below levels in the rest of the United Kingdom. She will take on responsibility for the housing portfolio, recognising the inescapable link between housing and social justice, and she will continue the work of Màiri McAllan in tackling the housing emergency.

I now turn to the junior ministers whom I propose for appointment. I am pleased that Tom Arthur, Siobhian Brown, Jim Fairlie, Ben Macpherson and Maree Todd will continue to serve in the Government. They have each made significant contributions to government in recent years, and I am confident that they will continue to do so. Jamie Hepburn will return to the Government as Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, having served ably in that and other ministerial roles in the past.

I am also delighted to welcome a number of new members of the ministerial team. Stephen Gethins has served Scotland with distinction at Westminster and has been an important voice on international affairs in Scotland. He will take on the new role of Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy. Given the importance of the energy brief, in particular, Stephen Gethins will report directly to me as the Government continues to make the case for Scotland’s energy being in Scotland’s hands.

Kirsten Oswald is an experienced parliamentarian, and I am delighted that she will now use her skills and experience in my Government as Minister for Victims and Community Safety.

Alison Thewliss has been a formidable and tenacious advocate for Scotland in the House of Commons and has led the way in fighting against the UK Government’s despicable rape clause. I am pleased that she will now take up the role of Minister for Community Care.

Simita Kumar is new to Parliament but is an experienced hand as a diligent champion of her community in local government. She will take on the crucial role of Minister for Equalities and International Development, a portfolio that is of deep personal importance to me.

Finally, I am delighted to welcome the newly elected MSP for Shetland, Hannah Mary Goodlad, to the Government as Minister for Public Finance. Hannah Mary Goodlad has extensive experience in the private sector and, in her new role, she will support both the Deputy First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Public Sector Reform.

As First Minister, I have decided to take on direct ministerial responsibility for constitutional matters. The election result on 7 May, in which the largest-ever number of pro-independence MSPs was elected, makes it clear that people in Scotland desire constitutional change. With polls showing that support for independence in Scotland is now in the majority, and with pro-independence First Ministers in office in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, the constitutional question is reaching a tipping point here and across these islands. Put bluntly, successive Westminster Governments have tried to wish support for self-determination away, and, as the result of the election demonstrates, they have failed to do so. My entire Government, led by me, is committed to continuing to build support for Scottish self-government. In our daily actions to improve our public services and our economy, all of us are preparing for Scotland to become independent.

All those ministers, like me, are ready to get to work to deliver and to make the change that people in our society want, need and expect to see. I therefore ask Parliament to approve the appointments today.

I move,

That the Parliament agrees that Ivan McKee and Stephen Flynn be appointed as Scottish Ministers.

That the Parliament agrees that Stephen Gethins, Hannah Mary Goodlad, Jamie Hepburn, Simita Kumar, Kirsten Oswald and Alison Thewliss be appointed as junior Scottish Ministers.