Minister For Energy, Enterprise And Tourism
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The Minister for Business and Employment is a Junior ministerial post in the
Scottish Government The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in ...
. As a result, the Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet. The post was retitled in June 2025, with the Minister supporting the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Kate Forbes.


History

From 1999 to 2007, enterprise and energy were the responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning. The Second McConnell government from 2003 to 2007 instituted Tourism as a portfolio, combined with Culture and Sport, as the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport. The Salmond government, elected following the 2007 Scottish Parliament election created the junior post of Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism by combining the roles. In November 2014 his post became the Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism, as part of the first Sturgeon government. The post was retitled as Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy as part of the second Sturgeon government, and renamed again in June 2018 to Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills. Upon the creation of the third Sturgeon Government, the post was once more retitled as Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise. In March 2023, Humza Yousaf renamed the role Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade and appointed Richard Lochhead to the position. In his streamlining of government upon becoming First Minister in May 2024, John Swinney renamed the post Minister for Business. In June 2025, Swinney abolished the position of Minister for Employment and Investment and the employment portfolio was absorbed into the new role of Minister for Business and Employment, with Lochhead continuing in post.


List of office holders

The current Minister for Business is Richard Lochhead.


See also

*
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...


References


External links


Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy
on Scottish Government website Business, Fair Work and Skills Economy of Scotland Business in Scotland
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
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