Wikipedia

First Sturgeon government

This article is about the people in Nicola Sturgeon's government. For the events of Nicola Sturgeon's tenure as First Minister, see Premiership of Nicola Sturgeon.

Nicola Sturgeon formed the first Sturgeon government on 20 November 2014, following the resignation of previous SNP First Minister, Alex Salmond. Sturgeon, who had been Deputy First Minister under Salmond, was elected to succeed him by the SNP majority in the Scottish Parliament on 19 November 2014, before being officially sworn in in front of senior judges at the Court of Session the next day.

First Sturgeon government

7th government of Scotland
2014–2016
Date formed20 November 2014
Date dissolved18 May 2016
People and organisations
MonarchElizabeth II
First MinisterNicola Sturgeon
First Minister's history2014–2023
Deputy First MinisterJohn Swinney
Total no. of members25
Member party
  •   Scottish National Party
Status in legislatureMajority
64 / 129 (50%)
Opposition party
Opposition leaderJackie Baillie (2014)
Kezia Dugdale (2014-15)
Iain Gray (2015)
Kezia Dugdale (2015-16)
History
Election(s)2014 Scottish National Party leadership election
Outgoing election2016 Scottish Parliament election
Legislature term(s)4th Scottish Parliament
PredecessorSecond Salmond government
SuccessorSecond Sturgeon government

Sturgeon's cabinet dissolved on 18 May 2016 following the 2016 election to the 5th Scottish parliament, which saw Sturgeon returning to office and forming a second administration.

History edit

Following the defeat of the campaign for Scottish independence in a 2014 referendum, then First Minister Alex Salmond, who had arranged the referendum, announced that he would resign as Scottish National Party leader and first minister after a new leader was chosen.[1] Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon took the leadership unopposed at the SNP's annual conference on 14 November 2014. This also effectively made her First Minister-designate, given the SNP's outright majority in the Scottish Parliament. She was elected to succeed Salmond as First Minister by the Scottish Parliament on 19 November, and formally appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on the next day.[2]

On 21 November 2014 Sturgeon's first cabinet was announced. It was formed of ten people: Sturgeon and nine cabinet secretaries. It was gender-balanced with five men and five women.[3] There were thirteen junior ministerial positions outwith the cabinet.[4]

Cabinet edit

November 2014 to May 2016 edit

I Cabinet of Nicola Sturgeon[5]
Portfolio Portrait Minister Term Ref.
Cabinet secretaries
First Minister   The Rt Hon

Nicola Sturgeon MSP

2014–2023
Deputy First Minister   John Swinney MSP 2014–2023 [6]
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution & Economy 2007[a]–2016
Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities   Keith Brown MSP 2014–2016 [7]
Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills & Training   Roseanna Cunningham MSP 2014–2016 [8]
Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning   Angela Constance MSP 2014–2016 [9]
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing & Sport   Shona Robison MSP 2014–2016 [10]
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights   Alex Neil MSP 2014–2016 [11]
Cabinet Secretary for Justice   Michael Matheson MSP 2014–2016 [12]
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment   Richard Lochhead MSP 2014–2016 [13]
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs   Fiona Hyslop MSP 2014–2016 [14]
Also attending cabinet meetings[b]
Permanent Secretary   Leslie Evans 2015–2022 [15][16]
Minister for Parliamentary Business   George Adam MSP 2014–2016
Lord Advocate   The Rt Hon. Frank Mulholland QC 2011–2016 [17]

Changes edit

Junior Ministers edit

Junior ministers[5]

Post Minister Term
Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism Fergus Ewing MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Parliamentary Business Joe Fitzpatrick MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Transport and Islands Derek Mackay MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Youth and Women's Employment Annabelle Ewing MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Children and Young People Aileen Campbell MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages Dr Alasdair Allan MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Public Health Maureen Watt MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health Jamie Hepburn MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment Marco Biagi MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Housing and Welfare Margaret Burgess MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Paul Wheelhouse MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Dr Aileen McLeod MSP 2014–2016
Minister for Europe and International Development Humza Yousaf MSP 2014–2016

Scottish Law Officers edit

Law officers[5]

Post Name Portrait Term
Lord Advocate The Right Hon.

Frank Mulholland QC

  2011–2016
Solicitor General for Scotland Lesley Thomson QC   2011–2016

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Previously served as the Finance Secretary in the Alex Salmond administrations.
  2. ^ The following members also attend the Scottish Cabinet, however, some are not required to attend every meeting.

References edit

  1. ^ Brooks, Libby (19 September 2014). "Alex Salmond's resignation could give Nicola Sturgeon her day of destiny". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  2. ^ Campbell, Glenn (13 November 2014). "The transition from Alex Salmond to Nicola Sturgeon". BBC News. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  3. ^ Brooks, Libby (22 November 2014). "Nicola Sturgeon announces Scottish cabinet with equal gender balance". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  4. ^ Maddox, David; Peterkin, Tom (22 November 2014). "Nicola Sturgeon reshuffle brings gender balance". The Scotsman. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "Ministers & Law Officers". www.scottish.parliament.uk. Scottish Parliament. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Deputy First Minister". 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities". 29 November 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training". 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning". 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  10. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing & Sport". 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities & Pensioners' Rights". 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Justice". 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food & Environment". 29 November 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs". 29 November 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Permanent Secretary". 12 September 2014. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  16. ^ "Permanent Secretary's appointment and salary including any bonuses: FOI release". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Lord Advocate". 3 December 2014. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  18. ^ "Nicola Sturgeon appoints Leslie Evans as new Scottish government permanent secretary". Civil Service World. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
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