The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, commonly referred to as the Rural Affairs Secretary, is a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet. The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for rural Scotland and its islands, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, food and drink, and crofting. The Cabinet Secretary is assisted by the

Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform The Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform is a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet, but supports the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Tra ...

Màiri McAllan Màiri Louise McAllan (born 1993) is a Scottish politician serving as Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform since May 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MS ...

. The current Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands is

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 ...

, who was appointed in May 2021.

History

The position was created in 1999 as the Minister for Rural Affairs and renamed as the Minister for Rural Development in 2000 and again in 2001 as the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development. Following the 2007 election, the position of Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment was created, becoming the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment in a November 2014 reshuffle. Following the 2016 election, the position was the "Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity", but was again renamed to "Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy", with "connectivity" and Transport passing to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity. In the third Sturgeon government, the role was re-styled to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands.

Overview

Responsibilities

The Cabinet Secretary's responsibilities are agriculture and

crofting Crofting is a form of land tenure and small-scale food production particular to the Scottish Highlands, the islands of Scotland, and formerly on the Isle of Man. Within the 19th century townships, individual crofts were established on the bett ...

, fisheries and aquaculture, food and drink, rural Scotland,

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

, animal health and welfare, and cross-government co-ordination on islands.

Public bodies

The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands: *

Crofting Commission The Crofting Commission ( gd, Coimisean na Croitearachd) took the place of the Crofters Commission ( gd, Coimisean nan Croitearan) on 1 April 2012 as the statutory regulator for crofting in Scotland. Based in Inverness, it is an executive non- ...

* Food Standards Scotland *

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE; gd, Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd 's nan Eilean) is the development agency for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. Its role is to "hel ...

James Hutton Institute The James Hutton Institute is an interdisciplinary scientific research institute in Scotland established in 2011, through the merger of Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) and the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute. The institute, named aft ...

* Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland *

Moredun Research Institute The Moredun Research Institute is a scientific research institution based at the Pentlands Science Park, in the Bush Estate area of Midlothian, Scotland. It conducts research into diseases of farm livestock and the promotion of animal health and ...

Quality Meat Scotland Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. It promotes the red meat sector and markets the Protected Geographical Indication Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb brands. It was set up in 1990 ( ...

Scottish Agricultural Wages Board The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (SAWB) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. It sets minimum pay rates and other conditions for agricultural workers, as set out in the Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Ord ...

List of office holders

References

{{Scottish Cabinet

Rural Economy Rural economics is the study of rural economies. Rural economies include both agricultural and non-agricultural industries, so rural economics has broader concerns than agricultural economics which focus more on food systems. Rural developmen ...