Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. She has been a member of ...

formed the third Sturgeon government following her

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 ...

's victory in the

2021 Scottish Parliament election The 2021 Scottish Parliament election took place on 6 May 2021, under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998. All 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament were elected in the sixth election since the parliament was re-established in 1999. The ele ...

. Sturgeon was nominated by a vote of the

6th Scottish Parliament The 6th Scottish Parliament was elected at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. It was opened with the Escort to the Crown of Scotland Parade and Speech from the Throne on 2 October 2021. Composition Government parties denoted with bullets (� ...

for appointment to the post of

First Minister A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of '' ...

on 18 May 2021 and announced the formation of a new

minority government A minority government, minority cabinet, minority administration, or a minority parliament is a government and Cabinet (government), cabinet formed in a parliamentary system when a political party or Coalition government, coalition of parties do ...

on 20 May. Sturgeon is the first First Minister to form a third administration. Her cabinet, like her previous two, is 50/50 gender neutral. On 31 August 2021, the SNP and

Scottish Greens The Scottish Greens (also known as the Scottish Green Party; gd, Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Green Pairtie) are a green political party in Scotland. The party has seven MSPs in the Scottish Parliament as of May 2021. As of the 20 ...

entered a power-sharing arrangement which resulted in the appointment of two Green MSPs as junior ministers in the government, delivery of
shared policy platform
and Green support for the government on votes of confidence and supply.

History

In the

May 2021 Scottish Parliament election The 2021 Scottish Parliament election took place on 6 May 2021, under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998. All 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament were elected in the sixth election since the parliament was re-established in 1999. The ele ...

, the Scottish National Party (SNP) won 64 of the 129 seats contested. Incumbent

soon afterwards announced her intention to form a minority government. She was nominated for the post of

first minister A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of '' ...

by a vote 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 ...

on 18 May, defeating

Scottish Conservative The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party ( gd, Pàrtaidh Tòraidheach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Tory an Unionist Pairty), often known simply as the Scottish Conservatives and colloquially as the Scottish Tories, is a centre-right political par ...

leader Douglas Ross and

Scottish Liberal Democrat The Scottish Liberal Democrats ( gd, Pàrtaidh Libearal Deamocratach na h-Alba, sco, Scots Leeberal Democrats) is a liberal, federalist political party in Scotland, a part of the United Kingdom Liberal Democrats. The party currently holds 4 o ...

leader Willie Rennie by 64 votes to 31 and 4 respectively. Long standing ministers

Jeane Freeman Jeane Tennent Freeman (born 28 September 1953) is a Scottish former politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport from 2018 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was the Member of the Scottish Parliame ...

, Michael Russell,

Roseanna Cunningham Roseanna Cunningham (born 27 July 1951) is a retired Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform from 2016 to 2021. She was previously Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, ...

and Aileen Campbell did not seek re-election to the 6th Scottish Parliament, with

Fiona Hyslop Fiona Jane Hyslop (born 1 August 1964) is a Scottish politician who served as Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been a Member of the Scottish Parliamen ...

and Fergus Ewing standing down from government. This left Sturgeon with many empty posts. Shortly after being elected, Sturgeon re-appointed

John Swinney John Ramsay Swinney (born 13 April 1964) is a Scottish politician who has served as Deputy First Minister of Scotland since 2014 and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery since 2021. He was the Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 200 ...

as Deputy First Minister of Scotland and also appointed him the newly created

Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery The Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery was a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet, Scottish Cabinet responsible for Scotland's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland, COVID-19 pandemic. The position was created by First Minister ...

post.

Humza Yousaf Humza Haroon Yousaf (born 7 April 1985) is a Scottish politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care since 2021. He is the first non-white and first Muslim cabinet minister in the Scottish Government. A member of the Sco ...

, Kate Forbes,

Shirley-Anne Somerville Shirley-Anne Somerville (born 2 September 1974) is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills since 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament ...

and Michael Matheson all remained in government. Shona Robison and Keith Brown made a return to cabinet, having previously served in Sturgeon's governments. Only

Mairi Gougeon Mairi Angela Gougeon ( née Evans; born 23 April 1985) is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands since 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottis ...

and

Angus Robertson Angus Struan Carolus Robertson (born 28 September 1969) is a Scottish politician serving as the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture since 2021. Former Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 201 ...

were new to cabinet. The

confirmed the appointment of ministers and junior ministers on 20 May. Scottish Cabinet meeting in St

In May 2021, both the Lord Advocate,

James Wolffe Walter James Wolffe FSAScot FRIAS (born 20 December 1962) is a Scottish advocate who served as Lord Advocate from 2016 to 2021. He previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Advocates from 2014 to 2016, and Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Advo ...

, and

Solicitor General for Scotland , body = , insignia = Crest of the Kingdom of Scotland.svg , insigniasize = 110px , image = File:Official Portrait of Ruth Charteris QC.png , incumbent = Ruth Charteris KC , incumbentsince = 22 June 2021 , department = Crown Office and ...

Alison Di Rollo Alison Di Rollo KC () is a Scottish advocate who served as Solicitor General for Scotland from 2016 to 2021. Education Di Rollo attended Hutchesons' Grammar School and was the Head Girl in 1978/9. She was also the Vice-Captain of the hock ...

, announced their intention to step down as Scotland's top law officers. On 17 June, Sturgeon nominated Dorothy Bain QC to serve as Lord Advocate and Ruth Charteris QC to serve as Solicitor General. This is the first time in history both posts have been held by women. On 20 August 2021, following two months of negotiations, the SNP and

announced a new power-sharing agreement. While not an official coalition, it would be the first time in both Scottish and UK history that Green politicians would be in government. The Greens hold two ministerial posts. The agreement will see both parties pledge for a second referendum on

Scottish independence Scottish independence ( gd, Neo-eisimeileachd na h-Alba; sco, Scots unthirldom) is the idea of Scotland as a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom, and refers to the political movement that is campaigning to bring it about. S ...

, an increase investment in active travel and public transport, enhancing tenants rights, a ten-year £500m

Just Transition Just transition is a framework developed by the trade union movement to encompass a range of social interventions needed to secure workers' rights and livelihoods when economies are shifting to sustainable production, primarily combating climat ...

and establishing a National Care Service.

Cabinet

May 2021 – present

Changes

Leslie Evans Leslie Evans (born 11 December 1958) was the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government. In this role, Evans was the principal policy adviser to the First Minister and Secretary to the Scottish Cabinet. Evans was the senior civil servant ...

stood down as the

Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government The Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government is the most senior civil servant in Scotland who leads more than 7000 staff within the Scottish Government and has oversight of around 125 agencies. The permanent secretary supports the Scottish ...

in January 2022 and was replaced by John-Paul Marks.

List of junior ministers

May 2021 – present

Changes

* Graeme Dey resigned as Minister for Transport and was replaced by Jenny Gilruth, the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development. Gilruth was succeeded by

Neil Gray Neil Charles Gray (born 16 March 1986) is a Scottish politician who has served as Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development since 2022. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), he has been the Member of the Scottish Parli ...

who was appointed Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development and Minister with special responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine. *

Ash Regan Ashten Regan (formerly Denham; born 8 March 1974) is a Scottish politician who served as Minister for Community Safety from 2018 until 2022 when she stepped down in a protest over the Gender Recognition Act. A member of the Scottish National ...

resigned as Minister for Community Safety in October 2022.

Elena Whitham Elena Whitham (née McLeod, born 9 July 1974) is a Scottish politician who has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley since 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she was appointed as ...

was appointed as the new Minister for Community Safety in November 2022.

Scottish Law Officers

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sturgeon ministry, Second Scottish governments Cabinets established in 2021 2021 establishments in Scotland Nicola Sturgeon Ministries of Elizabeth II Ministries of Charles III Current governments