Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government

For the Welsh government position, see Cabinet Secretary for Finance (Wales).
Scotland
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson Ionmhais agus Riaghaltas Ionadail
Incumbent
Shona Robison
since 29 March 2023
Finance Directorates
Scottish Government
Scottish Cabinet
Style
  • Cabinet Secretary
    (within parliament)
  • Finance Secretary
    (informal)
  • Scottish Finance Secretary
    (outwith Scotland)
Member of
Reports to
SeatEdinburgh
AppointerFirst Minister
(following approval from Scottish Parliament)
Inaugural holderJack McConnell
Minister for Finance
Formation19 May 1999
DeputyMinister for Public Finance
Salary£126,452 per annum (2024)[1]
(including £72,196 MSP salary)
Websitewww.gov.scot

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson Ionmhais agus Riaghaltas Ionadail), commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary has Ministerial responsibility for the Scottish Government's Finance Directorates.

The post has been held by Shona Robison since March 2023, as Cabinet Secretary for Finance until 8 May 2024 when Local Government was added to her brief. Robison was additionally Deputy First Minister of Scotland from March 2023 to May 2024. The Cabinet Secretary is supported by the Minister for Public Finance, since May 2024 Ivan McKee.[2]

History

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Following devolution in 1999, the Government of First Minister Donald Dewar instituted the position as the Minister for Finance, which was renamed the Minister for Finance and Local Government in the Government of Henry McLeish from 2000 to 2001. In the first Government of Jack McConnell, from 2001 to 2003, the position was renamed as the Minister for Finance and Public Services, changed to the Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform after a reshuffle of the Second McConnell government in 2004.

The first Government of Alex Salmond in 2007 combined the Minister for Finance element, with that of Enterprise and Transport to create the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth. After the 2011 election the position was named Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth and the transport portfolio was moved under the remit of another Cabinet position.

In November 2014, the first Sturgeon government renamed the position to Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy, and in 2016 it was again renamed to Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution. It was further renamed to Finance, Economy and Fair Work in June 2018, taking some additional responsibilities from the position of Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work which was abolished, but losing some constitutional responsibilities to the Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations.[3] The title was shortened to simply Cabinet Secretary for Finance in February 2020, with the responsibilities of the former Economy Secretary separated again and transferred over to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture.[4] The economic responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture were again combined with those of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on 19 May 2021 in the position of Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy.

The title was renamed back to Cabinet Secretary for Finance upon the formation of the First Yousaf Government on 29 March 2023, with Deputy First Minister Shona Robison taking the office. Following John Swinney's government formation Robison was given additional responsibilities for local government as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.

Overview

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Responsibilities

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The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government are:[2]

Budget

  • exchequer and the public finances
  • fiscal and taxation policy including Scottish Income Tax
  • Fiscal Framework Review
  • public sector pay
  • Scottish Budget, budgetary monitoring and reporting, including Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)
  • Scottish Fiscal Commission

Public bodies

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The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government:

List of Office holders

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There have been eight office holders since the establishment of Scottish devolution.

Name Portrait Entered Office Left Office Party First Minister
Minister for Finance
Jack McConnell 19 May 1999 26 October 2000 Scottish Labour Party Donald Dewar
Minister for Finance and Local Government
Angus Mackay 26 October 2000 22 November 2001 Scottish Labour Party Henry McLeish
Minister for Finance and Public Services
Andy Kerr 22 November 2001 4 October 2004 Scottish Labour Party Jack McConnell
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform
Tom McCabe 4 October 2004 17 May 2007 Scottish Labour Party Jack McConnell
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
John Swinney 17 May 2007 19 May 2011 Scottish National Party Alex Salmond
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth
John Swinney 19 May 2011 21 November 2014 Scottish National Party Alex Salmond
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy
John Swinney 21 November 2014 18 May 2016 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution
Derek Mackay 18 May 2016 26 June 2018 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work
Derek Mackay 26 June 2018 5 February 2020 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Finance
Kate Forbes 17 February 2020 20 May 2021 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy
Kate Forbes 20 May 2021 28 March 2023 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Finance
Shona Robison 29 March 2023 8 May 2024 Scottish National Party Humza Yousaf
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Shona Robison 8 May 2024 Incumbent Scottish National Party John Swinney

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "MSP salaries". parliament.scot. The Scottish Parliament. 13 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government - gov.scot". gov.scot. Retrieved 13 June 2024. Text was copied from this source, which is available under an Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  3. ^ "New Cabinet appointed". Scottish Government. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Cabinet Appointments". Scottish Government. 17 February 2020.
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