Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government

History

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. 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. 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

Responsibilities

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

• infrastructure policy cross-government co-ordination (policy, investment, and commission)
• local government
• local government finance
• public sector reform policy, including civil service operations
• Scottish Futures Trust

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

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

• Registers of Scotland
• Revenue Scotland
• Scottish Development International
• Scottish Fiscal Commission
• Scottish Futures Trust
• Scottish Public Pensions Agency
• VisitScotland

List of Office holders

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

References

References

1. (13 May 2024). "MSP salaries". [[The Scottish Parliament]].
2. "Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government - gov.scot".
3. (2018-06-26). "New Cabinet appointed". Scottish Government.
4. (17 February 2020). "Cabinet Appointments". Scottish Government.