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Secretary of State for Scotland
Member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom
Member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | Secretary of State for Scotland |
| native_name | |
| insignia | Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (Government in Scotland).svg |
| insigniacaption | Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government in Scotland |
| department | Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland |
| image | Official portrait of Douglas Alexander MP, 2024.jpg |
| incumbent | Douglas Alexander |
| incumbentsince | 5 September 2025 |
| style | |
| type | Minister of the Crown |
| status | Secretary of State |
| member_of | |
| reports_to | The Prime Minister |
| seat | Westminster |
| nominator | The Prime Minister |
| appointer | The Monarch |
| appointer_qualified | (on the advice of the Prime Minister) |
| termlength | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| formation | |
| salary | £159,038 per annum (2022) |
| (including £86,584 MP salary) | |
| deputy | Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland |
| website | gov.uk/scotland-office |
(including £86,584 MP salary)
The secretary of state for Scotland (; ), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Scotland Office. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The Secretary of State for Scotland serves as the custodian of the Scottish devolution settlement as outlined in the Scotland Act 1998, and represent Scottish interests within the UK Government as well as advocate for UK Government policies in Scotland. The secretary of state for Scotland is additionally responsible for partnership between the UK Government and the Scottish Government, as well as relations between the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the Scottish Parliament.
Much of the secretary of state for Scotland's responsibility transferred to the office of the first minister of Scotland upon the establishment of a new Scottish Executive, since renamed the Scottish Government, and a new devolved Scottish Parliament in 1999 following the Scotland Act 1998.
The office holder works alongside the other Scotland Office ministers. The secretary of state for Scotland is supported by their deputy, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for Scotland. The incumbent is Douglas Alexander, following his appointment by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in September 2025. The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow secretary of state for Scotland.
Overview
History of office
Acts of Union, 1707
The post was first created after the Acts of Union 1707 created the Kingdom of Great Britain from the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland. It was abolished in 1746, following the Jacobite rising of 1745. Scottish affairs thereafter were managed by the lord advocate until 1827, when responsibility passed to the Home Office. In 1885 the post of secretary for Scotland was re-created, with the incumbent usually a member of the Cabinet. In 1926 this post was upgraded to a full secretary of state appointment.
Devolution, 1999
After the 1999 Scottish devolution, the powers of the Scottish Office were divided, with most transferred to the Scottish Government or to other British government departments, leaving only a limited role for the Scotland Office. From June 2003 to October 2008, the holder of the office of secretary of state for Scotland also held another Cabinet post concurrently, leading to claims that the Scottish role was seen as a part-time ministry.
Functions
Reduced responsibility
With the advent of legislative devolution for Scotland in 1999, the role of secretary of state for Scotland was diminished. Most of the functions vested in the office since administrative devolution in the 19th century were transferred to the newly established Scottish Ministers upon the opening of the Scottish Parliament, or to other UK government ministers. Most of the functions and powers of the secretary of state for Scotland transferred to the first minister of Scotland as the head of the Scottish Government. Donald Dewar served as the first first minister of Scotland between 1999–2000, having previously served as the secretary of state for Scotland between 1997–1999.
However, the secretary of state does represent Scotland in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom on matters that are not devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and also holds Scotland Questions on the first Wednesday of every month between 11:30 am and 12 noon, when any member of Parliament can ask a question on any matter relating to Scotland. However, devolved issues are not usually raised by MPs, as these are decided solely by Scottish Government policy, and influenced, discussed and voted on by members of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Moreover, the secretary of state for Scotland cannot introduce any bill or legislation in the UK Parliament relating to a devolved matter under the convention that the UK Government will not introduce legislation on devolved areas without the agreement of the Scottish Parliament. The secretary of state is also the group leader of the Scottish MPs from the government party.
Scottish Government collaboration
The office mainly acts as a go-between for the UK and Scottish Governments and Parliaments. However, due to the secretary's position as a minister in the British government, the convention of Cabinet collective responsibility applies, and as such the post is usually viewed as being a partisan one to promote the UK government's decision-making in Scotland, as adherence to the convention precludes doing anything else.
With the rise of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in both the Scottish Parliament and the British Parliament and the resultant interest in Scottish Independence, the secretary of state's role has also subsequently increased in prominence. The Scotland Office itself has received a cumulative increase in budget of 20% from 2013 to 2017, with a 14.4% increase in 2015/16 alone.
Responsibilities
The UK government's website lists the secretary of state for Scotland's responsibilities as being:
- The secretary of state for Scotland is the UK Government Cabinet Minister representing Scotland.
- They act as the custodian of the Scottish devolution settlement.
- They represent Scottish interests within the UK Government
- They advocate for the UK Government’s policies in Scotland.
- They also promote partnership between the UK Government and the Scottish Government, as well as relations between the UK and Scottish Parliaments.
This seeming lack of responsibility has in recent years seen calls from opposition MPs for the scrapping of the role and the Scotland Office. Robert Hazell has suggested merging the offices of secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales into one secretary of state for the Union, in a department into which Rodney Brazier has suggested adding a minister of state for England with responsibility for English local government.
More broadly, the UK Government advocates that all UK Government cabinet ministers with responsibility for a territorial secretary of state position are responsible for:
- the smooth running of the devolution settlements and act as the lynchpin of the relationship between the devolved government and HM Government
- handling legislation as it affects the territory
- representing the territory’s interests in cabinet and cabinet committees
- responding to parliamentary interests in territorial affairs
- transmitting the block grant to the devolved administration
- supporting collaboration between HM Government and the devolved administration
- promoting the interests of the territory
List of Scottish secretaries
Secretaries of state for Scotland (1707–1746)
:John Erskine, Earl of Mar had served as Secretary of State of the independent Scotland from 1705. Following the Acts of Union 1707, he remained in office.
The post of secretary of state for Scotland existed after the Union of the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England in 1707 till the Jacobite rising of 1745. After the rising, responsibility for Scotland lay primarily with the office of the home secretary, usually exercised by the lord advocate.
| Secretary of State | Term of office | |
|---|---|---|
| [[File:John Erskine - Earl of Mar - Project Gutenberg etext 20946.jpg | 75px]] | John Erskine |
| Earl of Mar | ||
| [[File:James 2nd dukeofqueensberry.jpg | 75px]] | James Douglas |
| 2nd Duke of Queensberry | ||
| [[File:John Erskine - Earl of Mar - Project Gutenberg etext 20946.jpg | 75px]] | John Erskine |
| Earl of Mar | ||
| [[File:James Graham 1682-1742.jpg | 75px]] | James Graham |
| 1st Duke of Montrose | ||
| [[File:John Ker, 1st Duke of Roxburghe.jpg | 75px]] | John Ker |
| 1st Duke of Roxburghe | ||
| [[File:John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale.jpg | 75px]] | John Hay |
| 4th Marquess of Tweeddale |
Office thereafter vacant.
Secretaries for Scotland (1885–1926)
| use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = Secretary for Scotland Act 1885 The secretary for Scotland was chief minister in charge of the Scottish Office in the United Kingdom government. The Scottish Office was created with the post of secretary for Scotland by the Secretary for Scotland Act 1885. From 1892 the secretary for Scotland sat in cabinet. The post was upgraded to full secretary of state rank as the secretary of state for Scotland in 1926.
From 1885 to 1999, secretaries for Scotland and secretaries of state for Scotland also ex officio held the post of Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. From 1999, the position of keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland has been held by the first minister of Scotland.
| Secretary of State | Term of office | Party | Ministry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond, 6th Duke of Lennox, and 1st Duke of Gordon.jpg | 75px]] | Charles Gordon-Lennox | ||
| 6th Duke of Richmond | |||||
| Duke of Lennox in the peerage of Scotland | 17 August | ||||
| 1885 | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Sir G O Trevelyan, 2nd Bt NPG.jpg | 75px]] | George Trevelyan | ||
| MP for Hawick Burghs | 8 February | ||||
| 1886 | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | [[File:John Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie.jpeg | 75px]] | John Ramsay | ||
| 13th Earl of Dalhousie | 5 April | ||||
| 1886 | |||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Arthur-James-Balfour-1st-Earl-of-Balfour.jpg | 75px]] | Arthur Balfour | ||
| MP for Manchester East | 5 August | ||||
| 1886 | |||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Lord Lotian.jpg | 75px]] | Schomberg Kerr | ||
| 9th Marquess of Lothian | 11 March | ||||
| 1887 | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Sir G O Trevelyan, 2nd Bt NPG.jpg | 75px]] | George Trevelyan | ||
| MP for Glasgow Bridgeton | 18 August | ||||
| 1892 | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | Rosebery | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Lord Balfour .jpg | 75px]] | Alexander Bruce | ||
| 6th Lord Balfour of Burleigh | 29 June | ||||
| 1895 | |||||
| Balfour | |||||
| (Con.–Lib.U.) | |||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Lord Dunedin.jpg | 75px]] | Andrew Murray | ||
| MP for Buteshire | 9 October | ||||
| 1903 | |||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Hopetoun.jpg | 75px]] | John Hope | ||
| 1st Marquess of Linlithgow | 2 February | ||||
| 1905 | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | [[File:C1900 John Sinclair.jpg | 75px]] | John Sinclair | ||
| 1st Baron PentlandMP for Forfar | 10 December | ||||
| 1905 | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | Asquith | ||||
| (I–III) | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Thomas Mackinnon Wood.jpg | 75px]] | Thomas McKinnon Wood | ||
| MP for Glasgow St Rollox | 13 February | ||||
| 1912 | |||||
| Asquith Coalition | |||||
| (Lib.–Con.–Lab.) | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Harold J. Tennant o.jpg | 75px]] | Harold Tennant | ||
| MP for Berwickshire | 9 July | ||||
| 1916 | |||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | [[File:1922 Robert Munro.jpg | 75px]] | Robert Munro | ||
| MP for Roxburgh and Selkirk MP for Wick Burghs until 1918; MP for Roxburgh and Selkirk thereafter | 10 December | ||||
| 1916 | |||||
| Independent (politician)}}" | [[File:Ronald Munro Ferguson (Barnett-02).jpg | 75px]] | Ronald Munro Ferguson | ||
| 1st Viscount Novar | 24 October | ||||
| 1922 | |||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Baldwin I | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Cropped photograph of William Adamson.jpg | 75px]] | William Adamson | ||
| MP for West Fife | 22 January | ||||
| 1924 | |||||
| Unionist Party (Scotland)}}" | [[File:Sir John Gilmour.jpg | 75px]] | John Gilmour | ||
| MP for Glasgow Pollok | 6 November | ||||
| 1924 |
Secretaries of state for Scotland (1926–)
| Secretary of State | Term of office | Party | Ministry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionist Party (Scotland)}}" | [[File:Sir John Gilmour.jpg | 75px]] | John Gilmour | |
| MP for Glasgow Pollok | 26 July | |||
| 1926 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Cropped photograph of William Adamson.jpg | 75px]] | William Adamson | |
| MP for West Fife | 7 June | |||
| 1929 | ||||
| Liberal Party (UK)}}" | [[File:The Air Ministry, 1939-1945. CH10270 – Edit 1.jpg | 75px]] | Archibald Sinclair | |
| MP for Caithness and Sutherland | 25 August | |||
| 1931 | ||||
| National II | ||||
| (N.Lab.–Con.–Lib.N.–Lib.) | ||||
| National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)}}" | [[File:Godfrey Collins.jpg | 75px]] | Godfrey Collins | |
| MP for Greenock | 28 September | |||
| 1932 | ||||
| National III | ||||
| (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | ||||
| Unionist Party (Scotland)}}" | [[File:Walter Elliott MP.jpg | 75px]] | Walter Elliot | |
| MP for Glasgow Kelvingrove | 29 October | |||
| 1936 | ||||
| National IV | ||||
| (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | ||||
| Unionist Party (Scotland)}}" | [[File:David John Colville (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | John Colville | |
| MP for Midlothian and Peebles Northern | 6 May | |||
| 1938 | ||||
| Chamberlain War | ||||
| (Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.) | ||||
| National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)}}" | [[File:BrownErnest.jpg | 75px]] | Ernest Brown | |
| MP for Leith | 14 May | |||
| 1940 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Thomas Johnston.png | 75px]] | Thomas Johnston | |
| MP for West Stirlingshire | 8 February | |||
| 1941 | ||||
| National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)}}" | [[File:Lord Dalmeny.jpg | 75px]] | Harry Primrose | |
| 6th Earl of Rosebery | 25 May | |||
| 1945 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:No image.svg | 75px]] | Joseph Westwood | |
| MP for Stirling and Falkirk | 3 August | |||
| 1945 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:No image.svg | 75px]] | Arthur Woodburn | |
| MP for Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire | 7 October | |||
| 1947 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Blank.png | 75px]] | Hector McNeil | |
| MP for Greenock | 28 February | |||
| 1950 | ||||
| Unionist Party (Scotland)}}" | James Stuart | |||
| MP for Moray and Nairn | 30 October | |||
| 1951 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Eden | |||
| Unionist Party (Scotland)}}" | [[File:Blank.png | 75px]] | John Maclay | |
| MP for West Renfrewshire | 13 January | |||
| 1957 | ||||
| Unionist Party (Scotland)}}" | [[File:Blank.png | 75px]] | Michael Noble | |
| MP for Argyllshire | 13 July | |||
| 1962 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Douglas-Home | |||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Blank.png | 75px]] | Willie Ross | |
| MP for Kilmarnock | 18 October | |||
| 1964 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Blank.png | 75px]] | Gordon Campbell | |
| MP for Moray and Nairn | 20 June | |||
| 1970 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Blank.png | 75px]] | Willie Ross | |
| MP for Kilmarnock | 5 March | |||
| 1974 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Bruce Millan.tif | 75px]] | Bruce Millan | |
| MP for Glasgow Craigton | 8 April | |||
| 1976 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:George Younger.JPEG | 75px]] | George Younger | |
| MP for Ayr | 5 May | |||
| 1979 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Thatcher II | |||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Malcolm Rifkind.jpg | 75px]] | Malcolm Rifkind | |
| MP for Edinburgh Pentlands | 11 January | |||
| 1986 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Thatcher III | |||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Official portrait of Lord Lang of Monkton 2020 crop 2.jpg | 75px]] | Ian Lang | |
| MP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale | 28 November | |||
| 1990 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Major II | |||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Lord Michael Forsyth.jpg | 89x89px]] | Michael Forsyth | |
| MP for Stirling | 5 July | |||
| 1995 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Donald Dewar First Minister.jpg | 75px]] | Donald Dewar | |
| MP for Glasgow Anniesland | 2 May | |||
| 1997 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:ReidTaormina crop.jpg | 101x101px]] | John Reid | |
| MP for Hamilton North and Bellshill | 17 May | |||
| 1999 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:official portrait of Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke crop 2.jpg | 75px]] | Helen Liddell | |
| MP for Airdrie and Shotts | 25 January | |||
| 2001 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:AlistairDarlingABr cropped.jpg | 75px]] | Alistair Darling | |
| MP for Edinburgh South West | ||||
| 13 June | ||||
| 2003 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | Blair III | |||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Douglas Alexander at the India Economic Summit 2008.jpg | 100x100px]] | Douglas Alexander | |
| MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South | [5 May | |||
| 2006](2006-british-cabinet-reshuffle) | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Official portrait of Lord Browne of Ladyton crop 2, 2019.jpg | 75px]] | Des Browne | |
| MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun | 28 June | |||
| 2007 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Jim Murphy, April 2009 cropped.jpg | 75px]] | Jim Murphy | |
| MP for East Renfrewshire | 3 October | |||
| 2008 | ||||
| Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | [[File:Danny alexander hi.jpg | 75px]] | Danny Alexander | |
| MP for Inverness, Nairn, | ||||
| Badenoch and Strathspey | 12 May | |||
| 2010 | ||||
| Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | [[File:Michael Moore, Secretary of State for Scotland.jpg | 75px]] | Michael Moore | |
| MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | 29 May | |||
| 2010 | ||||
| Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | [[File:Alistair Carmichael at Glasgow 2014 (cropped).jpg | 100x100px]] | Alistair Carmichael | |
| MP for Orkney and Shetland | 7 October | |||
| 2013 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Official portrait of David Mundell crop 2.jpg | 100x100px]] | David Mundell | |
| MP for Dumfriesshire, | ||||
| Clydesdale and Tweeddale | 11 May | |||
| 2015 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | May I | |||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | May II | |||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Alister Jack Official Cabinet Portrait, September 2021 (cropped).jpg | 99x99px]] | Alister Jack | |
| MP for Dumfries and Galloway | 24 July | |||
| 2019 | ||||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Johnson II | |||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Truss | |||
| Conservative Party (UK)}}" | Sunak | |||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Ian Murray Official Cabinet Portrait, July 2024 (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | Ian Murray | |
| MP for Edinburgh South | 5 July | |||
| 2024 | ||||
| Labour Party (UK)}}" | [[File:Official portrait of Douglas Alexander MP crop 2, 2024.jpg | 75px]] | Douglas Alexander | |
| MP for Lothian East | 5 September | |||
| 2025 |
Timeline
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Notes
Notes
References
References
- (15 December 2022). "Salaries of Members of His Majesty's Government – Financial Year 2022–23".
- "Pay and expenses for MPs".
- "Secretary of State for Scotland - GOV.UK".
- "HC 842 The role and powers of the Prime Minister". UK Government.
- "University of Glasgow - Explore - Our history - Men and women of fame - Donald Dewar".
- "Parliamentary career for Donald Dewar".
- (11 September 2019). "Devolution settlement: Scotland".
- "Secretary of State for Scotland - GOV.UK".
- "SNP questions budget of 'zombie department' Scotland Office".
- "Secretary of State for Scotland - GOV.UK".
- (25 November 2007). "BBC NEWS {{!}} UK {{!}} Scotland {{!}} Scrap Scotland Office, SNP urging".
- "Times letters: Mark Sedwill's call for a cull of the cabinet". [[The Times]].
- (2020-09-07). "Rodney Brazier: Why is Her Majesty's Government so big?".
- (8 May 2019). "Devolution of powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland".
- Secretary for Scotland Act 1885, section 2.
- Secretaries of State Act 1926
- Secretary for Scotland Act 1885, section 2; Secretaries of State Act 1926, section 1
- Scotland Act 1998, section 45(7)
- "Mr John Gilmour".
- "Sir Archibald Sinclair".
- "Mr Godfrey Collins".
- "Mr Walter Elliot".
- "Mr John Colville".
- "Mr Ernest Brown".
- "Mr Thomas Johnston".
- "Mr Joseph Westwood".
- "Mr Arthur Woodburn".
- "Mr Hector McNeill".
- "Hon. John Maclay".
- "Mr Michael Noble".
- "Mr William Ross".
- "Rt Hon Bruce Millan". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon Sir George Younger". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind QC". UK Parliament.
- "Lord Lang of Monkton". UK Parliament.
- "Lord Forsyth of Drumlean". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon Donald Dewar". UK Parliament.
- "Lord Reid of Cardowan". UK Parliament.
- "Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke". UK Parliament.
- "Lord Darling of Roulanish". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon Douglas Alexander". UK Parliament.
- "Lord Browne of Ladyton". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon Jim Murphy". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon Danny Alexander". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon Michael Moore". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP". UK Parliament.
- "Rt Hon David Mundell MP". UK Parliament.
- "Mr Alistair Jack MP". UK Parliament.
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