Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism is a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet. The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for rural Scotland, tourism, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, food and drink, and crofting. The Cabinet Secretary was assisted by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform until 2016, when that role was given its own Cabinet level post. The Cabinet Secretary is assisted by the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment, who also reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.[1]

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism
Incumbent
Fergus Ewing MSP
since 18 May 2016
StyleCabinet Secretary
Rural Economy Secretary (within Scotland)
Scottish Rural Economy Secretary (outwith Scotland)
AppointerFirst Minister
Inaugural holderRoss Finnie
Minister for Rural Affairs
FormationMay 1999
Websitewww.gov.scot

The current Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism is Fergus Ewing, who was appointed in May 2016.

Overview

Responsibilities

The Cabinet Secretary's responsibilities are agriculture and crofting, fisheries and aquaculture, food and drink, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, rural Scotland, forestry, animal health, [1] and tourism.

Public bodies

The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism:

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.[1]

List of office holders

Minister for Rural Affairs

Name Portrait Entered office Left office Party First Minister
Ross Finnie 19 May 1999 26 October 2000 Liberal Democrats Donald Dewar

Minister for Rural Development

Ross Finnie 26 October 2000 22 November 2001 Liberal Democrats Henry McLeish

Minister for the Environment and Rural Development

Ross Finnie 22 November 2001 16 May 2007 Liberal Democrats Jack McConnell

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment

Richard Lochhead 17 May 2007 21 November 2014 Scottish National Party Alex Salmond

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment

Richard Lochhead 21 November 2014 18 May 2016 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon

Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity

Fergus Ewing 18 May 2016 26 June 2018 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy

Fergus Ewing 26 June 2018 17 February 2020 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism

Fergus Ewing 17 February 2020 Incumbent Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon

See also

References
  1. "New Cabinet appointed". Scottish Government. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
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