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The secretary of state for Scotland ( gd, Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; sco, Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a secretary of state in the
Government of the United Kingdom ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal coat of arms of t ...
, with responsibility for the
Scotland Office The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland ( gd, Oifis Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba), often referred to as, and formerly officially called, the Scotland Office, is a department of His Majesty's Government headed by the Secretary of Sta ...
. The incumbent is a member of the
Cabinet of the United Kingdom The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the senior decision-making body of His Majesty's Government. A committee of the Privy Council, it is chaired by the prime minister and its members include secretaries of state and other senior ministers. T ...
. The office holder works alongside the other Scotland Office ministers. The corresponding shadow minister is the
shadow secretary of state for Scotland The Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland is a member of the UK Shadow Cabinet responsible for the scrutiny of the Secretary of State for Scotland and his/her department, the Scotland Office. The incumbent holder of the office is Ian Murray ...
. The incumbent is
Alister Jack Alister William Jack (born 7 July 1963) is a British politician serving as Secretary of State for Scotland since 2019. A member of the Scottish Conservatives, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dumfries and Galloway since 2017. E ...
, following his appointment by
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
in July 2019 and who was reappointed by
Liz Truss Mary Elizabeth Truss (born 26 July 1975) is a British politician who briefly served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from September to October 2022. On her fiftieth day in office, she stepped down ...
and
Rishi Sunak Rishi Sunak (; born 12 May 1980) is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party since October 2022. He previously held two Cabinet of ...
.


History


Prior to devolution (before 1999)

The post was first created after the
Acts of Union 1707 The Acts of Union ( gd, Achd an Aonaidh) were two Acts of Parliament: the Union with Scotland Act 1706 passed by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act 1707 passed by the Parliament of Scotland. They put into effect the te ...
created the
Kingdom of Great Britain The Kingdom of Great Britain (officially Great Britain) was a Sovereign state, sovereign country in Western Europe from 1 May 1707 to the end of 31 December 1800. The state was created by the 1706 Treaty of Union and ratified by the Acts of ...
from the
Kingdom of England The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. On 1 ...
and the
Kingdom of Scotland The Kingdom of Scotland (; , ) was a sovereign state in northwest Europe traditionally said to have been founded in 843. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain, sharing a la ...
. It was abolished in 1746, following the
Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Franci ...
. Scottish affairs thereafter were managed by the
Lord Advocate , body = , insignia = Crest of the Kingdom of Scotland.svg , insigniasize = 110px , image = File:Official Portrait of Dorothy Bain QC.png , incumbent = Dorothy Bain KC , incumbentsince = 22 June 2021 , appointer = Monarch on the advice ...
until 1827, when responsibility passed to the Home Office. In 1885 the post of Secretary for Scotland was re-created, with the incumbent usually a member of the
Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
. In 1926 this post was upgraded to a full Secretary of State appointment.


After devolution (since 1999)

After the 1999 Scottish
devolution Devolution is the statutory delegation of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to govern at a subnational level, such as a regional or local level. It is a form of administrative decentralization. Devolved territories h ...
, the powers of the
Scottish Office The Scottish Office was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Following the e ...
were divided, with most transferred to the Scottish Government or to other
British government departments The Government of the United Kingdom is divided up into departments. These, according to the government, are responsible for putting government policy into practice. There are currently 23 ministerial departments, 20 non-ministerial departments ...
, leaving only a limited role for the
Scotland Office The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland ( gd, Oifis Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba), often referred to as, and formerly officially called, the Scotland Office, is a department of His Majesty's Government headed by the Secretary of Sta ...
. From June 2003 and October 2008, the holder of the office of Secretary of State for Scotland from 13 June 2003 through to 3 October 2008 also held another Cabinet post concurrently, leading to claims that the Scottish role was seen as a part-time ministry. The current secretary of state for Scotland is
Alister Jack Alister William Jack (born 7 July 1963) is a British politician serving as Secretary of State for Scotland since 2019. A member of the Scottish Conservatives, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dumfries and Galloway since 2017. E ...
, who was appointed by
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
, replacing
David Mundell David Gordon Mundell, (born 27 May 1962) is a Scottish politician and solicitor who served as Secretary of State for Scotland from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Scottish Conservative Party, he has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Du ...
. He was later reappointed by
Liz Truss Mary Elizabeth Truss (born 26 July 1975) is a British politician who briefly served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from September to October 2022. On her fiftieth day in office, she stepped down ...
and
Rishi Sunak Rishi Sunak (; born 12 May 1980) is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party since October 2022. He previously held two Cabinet of ...
.


Responsibilities

With the advent of legislative devolution for Scotland in 1999, the role of Secretary of State for Scotland was diminished. Most of the functions vested in the office since administrative devolution in the 19th century were transferred to the newly established Scottish Ministers upon the opening of the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
, or to other UK government ministers. However, the Secretary of State does represent Scotland in the Cabinet on matters that are not devolved to Holyrood and also holds Scotland Questions on the first Wednesday of every month between 11:30 am and 12 noon, when any Member of Parliament can ask a question on any matter relating to Scotland. However, devolved issues are not usually raised by MPs. The Secretary of State is also the group leader of the Scottish MPs from the government party. As a result of this, the office mainly acts as a go-between for the UK and Scottish Governments and Parliaments. However, due to the Secretary's position as a minister in the British government, the convention of
Cabinet collective responsibility Cabinet collective responsibility, also known as collective ministerial responsibility, is a constitutional convention in parliamentary systems that members of the cabinet must publicly support all governmental decisions made in Cabinet, even if ...
applies, and as such the post is usually viewed as being a partisan one to promote the UK government's decision-making in Scotland, as adherence to the convention precludes doing anything else. With the rise of the
Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from ...
(SNP) in both the Scottish Parliament and the
British Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative supremacy ...
and the resultant interest in Scottish Independence, the Secretary of State's role has also subsequently increased in prominence. The
Scotland Office The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland ( gd, Oifis Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba), often referred to as, and formerly officially called, the Scotland Office, is a department of His Majesty's Government headed by the Secretary of Sta ...
itself has received a cumulative increase in budget of 20% from 2013 to 2017, with a 14.4% increase in 2015/16 alone. The UK government's website lists the secretary of state for Scotland's responsibilities as being:
The main role of the Scottish Secretary is to promote and protect the devolution settlement. Other responsibilities include promoting partnership between the UK Government and the Scottish Government, and relations between the 2 Parliaments.
This seeming lack of responsibility has in recent years seen calls from opposition MPs for the scrapping of the role and the Scotland Office. Robert Hazell has suggested merging the offices of
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
, Scotland and
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
into one Secretary of State for the Union, in a department into which
Rodney Brazier Rodney Brazier MVO, LLD, FRHistS (born 1946) is emeritus professor of constitutional law at the University of Manchester and a barrister and an emeritus bencher of Lincoln's Inn. His expertise on the British constitution has been provided to va ...
has suggested adding a Minister of State for England with responsibility for
English local government The subdivisions of England constitute a hierarchy of administrative divisions and non-administrative ceremonial areas. Overall, England is divided into nine regions and 48 ceremonial counties, although these have only a limited role in publ ...
.


List of Scottish secretaries


Secretaries of State for Scotland (1707–1746)

:'' John Erskine, Earl of Mar had served as Secretary of State of the independent Scotland from 1705. Following the
Acts of Union 1707 The Acts of Union ( gd, Achd an Aonaidh) were two Acts of Parliament: the Union with Scotland Act 1706 passed by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act 1707 passed by the Parliament of Scotland. They put into effect the te ...
, he remained in office.'' The post of secretary of state for Scotland existed after the
Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...
of the
Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...
and the
Parliament of England The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised t ...
in 1707 till the
Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Franci ...
. After the rising, responsibility for Scotland lay primarily with the office of the
Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all national ...
, usually exercised by the
Lord Advocate , body = , insignia = Crest of the Kingdom of Scotland.svg , insigniasize = 110px , image = File:Official Portrait of Dorothy Bain QC.png , incumbent = Dorothy Bain KC , incumbentsince = 22 June 2021 , appointer = Monarch on the advice ...
. {, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=2 , Secretary of State ! colspan=2 , Term of office , - , , John Erskine
Earl of Mar ,

1707 ,
1709 , - , , James Douglas
2nd Duke of Queensberry ,
1709 ,
1711 , - , , John Erskine
Earl of Mar ,
1713 ,
1714 , - , , James Graham
1st Duke of Montrose ,
1714 ,
1715 , - , , John Ker
1st Duke of Roxburghe ,
1716 ,
1725 , - , - , , John Hay
4th Marquess of Tweeddale , {{Small, 16 February
1742 , {{Small, 3 January
1746 Office thereafter vacant.


Secretaries for Scotland (1885–1926)

The Secretary for Scotland was chief
minister Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
in charge of the
Scottish Office The Scottish Office was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Following the e ...
in the
United Kingdom government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_es ...
. The Scotland Office was created in 1885 with the post of Secretary for Scotland. From 1892 the Secretary for Scotland sat in
cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...
. The post was upgraded to full Secretary of State rank as the Secretary of State for Scotland in 1926. From 1885 to 1999, Secretaries for Scotland and Secretaries of State for Scotland also ''
ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...
'' held the post of Keeper of the
Great Seal of Scotland The Great Seal of Scotland ( gd, Seala Mòr na h-Alba) is a principal national symbol of Scotland that allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually. Wax is melted in a metal mould or matrix ...
. From 1999, the position of Keeper of the Great Seal has been held by the
First Minister of Scotland The first minister of Scotland ( sco, heid meinister o Scotland; gd, prìomh mhinistear na h-Alba ) is the head of the Scottish Government and keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. The first minister chairs ...
. {, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=3 , Secretary of State ! colspan=2 , Term of office ! Party ! colspan=2 , Ministry , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , , Charles Gordon-Lennox
{{Small, 6th Duke of Richmond
Duke of Lennox in the peerage of Scotland , {{Small, 17 August
1885 , {{Small, 28 January
1886 , Conservative , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Salisbury I , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , , George Trevelyan
{{Small, MP for Hawick Burghs , {{Small, 8 February
1886 , {{Small, March
1886 ,
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
, rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , Gladstone III , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , , John Ramsay
{{Small, 13th Earl of Dalhousie , {{Small, 5 April
1886 , {{Small, 20 July
1886 ,
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
, - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , , Arthur Balfour
{{Small, MP for Manchester East , {{Small, 5 August
1886 , {{Small, 11 March
1887 , Conservative , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , Salisbury II , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , , Schomberg Kerr
{{Small, 9th Marquess of Lothian , {{Small, 11 March
1887 , {{Small, 11 August
1892 , Conservative , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , George Trevelyan
{{Small, MP for Glasgow Bridgeton , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 18 August
1892 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 21 June
1895 , rowspan=2 ,
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
, style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , {{Party shading/Liberal (UK) , Gladstone IV , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , {{Party shading/Liberal (UK) , Rosebery , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Alexander Bruce
{{Small, 6th Lord Balfour of Burleigh , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 29 June
1895 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 9 October
1903
, rowspan=2 , Conservative , style="background-color:#ddd" , , Salisbury
{{Small, (III & IV)
{{Small, ('' Con.– Lib.U.'') , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=3 style="background-color:#ddd" , , rowspan=3 , Balfour
{{Small, ('' Con.– Lib.U.'') , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , , Andrew Murray
{{Small, MP for
Buteshire The County of Bute ( gd, Siorrachd Bhòid), also known as Buteshire, is a historic county and registration county of Scotland. The county comprises a number of islands in the Firth of Clyde, between the counties of Argyll and Ayrshire, the p ...
, {{Small, 9 October
1903 , {{Small, 2 February
1905 , Conservative , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , , John Hope
{{Small, 1st Marquess of Linlithgow , {{Small, 2 February
1905 , {{Small, 4 December
1905 , Conservative , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , John Sinclair
{{Small, 1st Baron PentlandMP for Forfar until 1909; created Baron Pentland 1909 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 10 December
1905 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 13 February
1912 , rowspan=2 ,
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
, style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , {{Party shading/Liberal (UK) , Campbell-Bannerman , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Liberal (UK) , Asquith
{{Small, (I–III) , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Thomas McKinnon Wood
{{Small, MP for Glasgow St Rollox , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 13 February
1912 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 9 July
1916 , rowspan=2 ,
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
, - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:#ddd" , , rowspan=2 , Asquith Coalition
{{Small, ('' Lib.– Con.– Lab.'') , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , , Harold Tennant
{{Small, MP for
Berwickshire Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of th ...
, {{Small, 9 July
1916 , {{Small, 5 December
1916 ,
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
, - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , , Robert Munro
{{Small, MP for Roxburgh and Selkirk MP for
Wick Burghs Wick Burghs, sometimes known as Northern Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1918. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post voting system. A similar ...
until 1918; MP for Roxburgh and Selkirk thereafter , {{Small, 10 December
1916 , {{Small, 19 October
1922 ,
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
, style="background-color:#ddd" , , Lloyd George
{{Small, (I & II)
('' Lib.– Con.– Lab.'') , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Independent (politician)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Ronald Munro Ferguson
{{Small, 1st Viscount Novar , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 24 October
1922 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 22 January
1924 , rowspan=2 ,
Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...
, style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , ,
Law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
, - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Baldwin I , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , William Adamson
{{Small, MP for West Fife , {{Small, 22 January
1924 , {{Small, 3 November
1924 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , MacDonald I , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Unionist Party (Scotland)" , , , John Gilmour
{{Small, MP for Glasgow Pollok , {{Small, 6 November
1924 , {{Small, 26 July
1926{{Inconsistent, date=6 September 2020, reason=Table below states he was Secretary of State for Scotland from 15 July. , Unionist , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Baldwin II


Secretaries of State for Scotland (1926–present)

{, class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=3 , Secretary of State ! colspan=2 , Term of office ! Party ! colspan=2 , Ministry , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Unionist Party (Scotland)" , , , John Gilmour
{{Small, MP for Glasgow Pollok , {{Small, 26 July
1926
{{Inconsistent, date=6 September 2020, reason=Table above states he was Secretary for Scotland until 26 July. , {{Small, 4 June
1929 , Unionist , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Baldwin II , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , ,
William Adamson William Adamson (2 April 1863 – 23 February 1936) was a Scottish trade unionist and Labour politician. He was Leader of the Labour Party from 1917 to 1921 and served as Secretary of State for Scotland in 1924 and during 1929–1931 in the f ...

{{Small, MP for West Fife , {{Small, 7 June
1929 , {{Small, 24 August
1931 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , ,
MacDonald II Macdonald, MacDonald or McDonald may refer to: Organisations * McDonald's, a chain of fast food restaurants * McDonald & Co., a former investment firm * MacDonald Motorsports, a NASCAR team * Macdonald Realty, a Canadian real estate brokerage f ...
, - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 ,
Archibald Sinclair Archibald Henry Macdonald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso, (22 October 1890 – 15 June 1970), known as Sir Archibald Sinclair between 1912 and 1952, and often as Archie Sinclair, was a British politician and leader of the Liberal Party. Backgr ...

{{Small, MP for
Caithness and Sutherland Caithness and Sutherland was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The constituency was c ...
, rowspan=2 , {{Small, 25 August
1931 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 28 September
1932 , rowspan=2 ,
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
, style="background-color:#ddd" , , National I
{{Small, (''National Labour Organisation, N.Lab.– Con.–National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Lib.N.– Lib.'') , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:#ddd" , , rowspan=2 , National Government (1931–1935), National II
{{Small, (''National Labour Organisation, N.Lab.– Con.–National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Lib.N.– Lib.'') , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Godfrey Collins
{{Small, MP for Greenock (UK Parliament constituency), Greenock , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 28 September
1932 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 29 October
1936 , rowspan=2 , National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Liberal National , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:#ddd" , , rowspan=2 , National Government (1935–1937), National III
{{Small, ('' Con.–National Labour Organisation, N.Lab.–National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Lib.N.'') , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Unionist Party (Scotland)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Walter Elliot (Scottish politician), Walter Elliot
{{Small, MP for Glasgow Kelvingrove (UK Parliament constituency), Glasgow Kelvingrove , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 29 October
1936 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 6 May
1938 , rowspan=2 , Unionist , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:#ddd" , , rowspan=2 , National Government (1937–1939), National IV
{{Small, ('' Con.–National Labour Organisation, N.Lab.–National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Lib.N.'') , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Unionist Party (Scotland)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , John Colville, 1st Baron Clydesmuir, John Colville
{{Small, MP for Midlothian and Peebles Northern (UK Parliament constituency), Midlothian and Peebles Northern , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 6 May
1938 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 10 May
1940 , rowspan=2 , Unionist , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:#ddd" , , Chamberlain war ministry, Chamberlain War
{{Small, ('' Con.–National Labour Organisation, N.Lab.–National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Lib.N.'') , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)" , , , Ernest Brown (British politician), Ernest Brown
{{Small, MP for Leith (UK Parliament constituency), Leith , {{Small, 14 May
1940 , {{Small, 8 February
1941 , National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Liberal National , rowspan=2 style="background-color:#ddd" , , rowspan=2 , Churchill war ministry, Churchill War
{{Small, (''All parties'') , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Tom Johnston (Scottish politician), Thomas Johnston
{{Small, MP for West Stirlingshire (UK Parliament constituency), West Stirlingshire , {{Small, 8 February
1941 , {{Small, 23 May
1945 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)" , , , Harry Primrose, 6th Earl of Rosebery, Harry Primrose
6th Earl of Rosebery , {{Small, 25 May
1945 , {{Small, 26 July
1945 , National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), Liberal National , style="background-color:#ddd" , , Churchill caretaker ministry, Churchill Caretaker
{{Small, ('' Con.–National Liberal Party (UK, 1931), N.Lib.'') , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Joseph Westwood
{{Small, MP for Stirling and Falkirk (UK Parliament constituency), Stirling and Falkirk , {{Small, 3 August
1945 , {{Small, 7 October
1947 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, rowspan=3 style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , rowspan=3 , Attlee ministry, Attlee
{{Small, (I & II) , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Arthur Woodburn
{{Small, MP for Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire (UK Parliament constituency), Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire , {{Small, 7 October
1947 , {{Small, 28 February
1950 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Hector McNeil
{{Small, MP for Greenock (UK Parliament constituency), Greenock , {{Small, 28 February
1950 , {{Small, 26 October
1951 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Unionist Party (Scotland)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , James Stuart, 1st Viscount Stuart of Findhorn, James Stuart
{{Small, MP for Moray and Nairn (UK Parliament constituency), Moray and Nairn , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 30 October
1951 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 13 January
1957 , rowspan=2 , Unionist , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Third Churchill ministry, Churchill III , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Eden ministry, Eden , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Unionist Party (Scotland)" , , , John Maclay, 1st Viscount Muirshiel, John Maclay
{{Small, MP for West Renfrewshire (UK Parliament constituency), West Renfrewshire , {{Small, 13 January
1957 , Night of the Long Knives (1962), {{Small, 13 July
1962 , Unionist , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , Conservative government, 1957–1964, Macmillan
{{Small, (I & II) , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Unionist Party (Scotland)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Michael Noble, Baron Glenkinglas, Michael Noble
{{Small, MP for Argyllshire (UK Parliament constituency), Argyllshire , rowspan=2 , Night of the Long Knives (1962), {{Small, 13 July
1962 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 16 October
1964 , rowspan=2 , Unionist , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Conservative government, 1957–1964, Douglas-Home , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Willie Ross, Baron Ross of Marnock, Willie Ross{{Cite web, url=http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/people/mr-william-ross/ , title=Mr William Ross , website=Hansard 1803–2005 , publisher=UK Parliament , access-date=24 September 2017
{{Small, MP for Kilmarnock (UK Parliament constituency), Kilmarnock , {{Small, 18 October
1964 , {{Small, 19 June
1970 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , Labour government, 1964–1970, Wilson
{{Small, (I & II) , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , , Gordon Campbell, Baron Campbell of Croy, Gordon Campbell
{{Small, MP for Moray and Nairn (UK Parliament constituency), Moray and Nairn , {{Small, 20 June
1970 , {{Small, 4 March
1974 , Conservative , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Heath ministry, Heath , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Willie Ross, Baron Ross of Marnock, Willie Ross
{{Small, MP for Kilmarnock (UK Parliament constituency), Kilmarnock , {{Small, 5 March
1974 , {{Small, 8 April
1976 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , Labour government, 1974–1979, Wilson
{{Small, (III & IV) , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Bruce Millan
{{Small, MP for Glasgow Craigton (UK Parliament constituency), Glasgow Craigton , {{Small, 8 April
1976 , {{Small, 4 May
1979 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , Labour government, 1974–1979, Callaghan , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , George Younger, 4th Viscount Younger of Leckie, George Younger
{{Small, MP for Ayr (UK Parliament constituency), Ayr , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 5 May
1979 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 11 January
1986 , rowspan=2 , Conservative , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , First Thatcher ministry, Thatcher I , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , Second Thatcher ministry, Thatcher II , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Malcolm Rifkind
{{Small, MP for Edinburgh Pentlands (UK Parliament constituency), Edinburgh Pentlands , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 11 January
1986 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 28 November
1990 , rowspan=2 , Conservative , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Third Thatcher ministry, Thatcher III , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Ian Lang, Baron Lang of Monkton, Ian Lang
{{Small, MP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (UK Parliament constituency), Galloway and Upper Nithsdale , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 28 November
1990 , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 5 July
1995 , rowspan=2 , Conservative , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , First Major ministry, Major I , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , Second Major ministry, Major II , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , , Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean, Michael Forsyth
{{Small, MP for Stirling (UK Parliament constituency), Stirling , {{Small, 5 July
1995 , {{Small, 2 May
1997 , Conservative , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Donald Dewar
{{Small, MP for Glasgow Anniesland (UK Parliament constituency), Glasgow Anniesland , {{Small, 2 May
1997 , {{Small, 17 May
1999 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , First Blair ministry, Blair I , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, John Reid
{{Small, MP for Hamilton North and Bellshill (UK Parliament constituency), Hamilton North and Bellshill , {{Small, 17 May
1999 , {{Small, 25 January
2001 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Helen Liddell
{{Small, MP for Airdrie and Shotts (UK Parliament constituency), Airdrie and Shotts , {{Small, 25 January
2001 , {{Small, 13 June
2003 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , Second Blair ministry, Blair II , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , , rowspan=2 , Alistair Darling{{Efn, name="auto", Concurrently served as Secretary of State for Transport
{{Small, MP for Edinburgh South West (UK Parliament constituency), Edinburgh South West{{Efn, MP for Edinburgh Central (UK Parliament constituency), Edinburgh Central until 2005; MP for Edinburgh South West (UK Parliament constituency), Edinburgh South West thereafter
{{Small, (born 1953) , rowspan=2 , {{Small, 13 June
2003 , rowspan=2 , 2006 British cabinet reshuffle, {{Small, 5 May
2006 , rowspan=2 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, - style="height:1em" , rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , Third Blair ministry, Blair III , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Douglas Alexander{{Efn, name="auto"
{{Small, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (UK Parliament constituency), Paisley and Renfrewshire South , 2006 British cabinet reshuffle, {{Small, 5 May
2006 , {{Small, 28 June
2007 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Des Browne{{Efn, Concurrently served as Secretary of State for Defence
{{Small, MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (UK Parliament constituency), Kilmarnock and Loudoun , {{Small, 28 June
2007 , {{Small, 3 October
2008 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, rowspan=2 style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , rowspan=2 , Brown ministry, Brown , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Labour Party (UK)" , , , Jim Murphy
{{Small, MP for East Renfrewshire (UK Parliament constituency), East Renfrewshire , {{Small, 3 October
2008 , {{Small, 11 May
2010 ,
Labour Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
, - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Democrats (UK)" , , , Danny Alexander
{{Small, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (UK Parliament constituency), Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey , {{Small, 12 May
2010 , {{Small, 29 May
2010 , Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrat , rowspan=3 style="background-color:#ddd" , , rowspan=3 , Cameron–Clegg coalition, Cameron–Clegg
{{Small, ('' Con.–Liberal Democrats (UK), L.D.'') , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Democrats (UK)" , , , Michael Moore (Scottish politician), Michael Moore
{{Small, MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (UK Parliament constituency), Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk , {{Small, 29 May
2010 , {{Small, 7 October
2013 , Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrat , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Liberal Democrats (UK)" , , , Alistair Carmichael
{{Small, MP for Orkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency), Orkney and Shetland , {{Small, 7 October
2013 , {{Small, 8 May
2015 , Liberal Democrats (UK), Liberal Democrat , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=3 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=3 , , rowspan=3 ,
David Mundell David Gordon Mundell, (born 27 May 1962) is a Scottish politician and solicitor who served as Secretary of State for Scotland from 2015 to 2019. A member of the Scottish Conservative Party, he has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Du ...

{{Small, MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (UK Parliament constituency), Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale , rowspan=3 , {{Small, 11 May
2015 , rowspan=3 , {{Small, 24 July
2019 , rowspan=3 , Conservative , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Second Cameron ministry, Cameron II , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , First May ministry, May I , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Second May ministry, May II , - style="height:1em" , rowspan=4 style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , rowspan=4 , , rowspan=4 ,
Alister Jack Alister William Jack (born 7 July 1963) is a British politician serving as Secretary of State for Scotland since 2019. A member of the Scottish Conservatives, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dumfries and Galloway since 2017. E ...
{{Cite web, url=https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/mr-alister-jack/4619 , title=Mr Alistair Jack MP , publisher=UK Parliament , access-date=24 July 2019
{{Small, MP for Dumfries and Galloway (UK Parliament constituency), Dumfries and Galloway , rowspan=4 , {{Small, 24 July
2019 , rowspan=4 , {{Small, Incumbent , rowspan=4 , Conservative , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , First Johnson ministry, Johnson I , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Second Johnson ministry, Johnson II , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Truss ministry, Truss , - style="height:1em" , style="background-color:{{Party color, Conservative Party (UK)" , , Sunak ministry, Sunak ;Notes: {{Notelist


See also

*
First Minister of Scotland The first minister of Scotland ( sco, heid meinister o Scotland; gd, prìomh mhinistear na h-Alba ) is the head of the Scottish Government and keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. The first minister chairs ...
* Secretary of State, a senior post in the pre-Union government of the
Kingdom of Scotland The Kingdom of Scotland (; , ) was a sovereign state in northwest Europe traditionally said to have been founded in 843. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain, sharing a la ...
* Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, junior minister supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland * Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland * Secretary of State (Jacobite) *
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
* Secretary of State for Wales


Notes

{{reflist, group=nb


References

{{reflist


External links


Official website of the Scotland Office
{{Cabinet positions in the United Kingdom {{Scotland Office {{Scotland topics {{DEFAULTSORT:Secretary Of State For Scotland Lists of government ministers of Scotland, Scotland Political office-holders in Scotland Ministerial offices in the United Kingdom Secretaries for Scotland, Government ministers of the United Kingdom 1705 establishments in the British Empire Lists of government ministers of the United Kingdom