Economy Directorates
The Scottish Government Economy Directorates (Scottish Gaelic: Buidheann-stiùiridh Eaconamas) are a group of Directorates of the Scottish Government. They were rebranded as the Economy Directorates in July 2016, having previously been reorganised in December 2010 and then in June 2014. In July 2021, a further re-organisation led to the creation of the Net Zero Directorates, with Agriculture & Rural Economy, Marine Scotland, Energy & Climate Change, Environment & Forestry, Transport Scotland, Forestry and Land Scotland and Scottish Forestry moving to the new Directorate General.[1]
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The individual Directorates within the DG (Director-General) Economy family (the Economy Directorates) report to the Director-General, Gregor Irwin.[2]
Ministers
There is no direct relationship between Ministers and the Directorates. However, the activities of the Directorates include those under the purview of the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Shona Robison MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Neil Gray MSP and the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition, Màiri McAllan MSP. They are supported in their work by the Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, the Minister for Local Government, Empowerment and Planning, the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance, the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity and the Minister for Energy.
Directorates
The Directorates were previously the Enterprise, Environment and Innovation Directorates, reorganised in July 2016.
The overarching Scottish Government Directorates were preceded by similar structures called "Departments" that no longer exist (although the word is still sometimes erroneously used in this context).[3] As an overarching unit, the Economy Directorates incorporate a number of individual Directorates entitled:
- Chief Economist Directorate
- COVID Business Resilience and Support
- Culture, Tourism and Major Events Directorate
- Economic Development Directorate
- Fair Work, Employability and Skills Directorate
- International Trade and Investment Directorate
- Scottish Development International
Agencies and other bodies
The Directorates were formerly responsible for two agencies, but responsibility has passed to the Net Zero Directorates:
The Directorates also formerly sponsored several non-departmental public bodies - most responsibilities have passed to the Net Zero Directorates:
History
Prior to the creation of the Enterprise, Environment and Innovation Directorates in June 2014, the group was known as the Enterprise, Environment and Digital Directorates from December 2010. Prior to 2007, the work had been carried out by the old Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD).
See also
- Elin Jones Minister for Rural Affairs in Wales
References
- "Paul Gray, Director-General Rural Affairs, Environment and Services". Scottish Government. Retrieved 7 May 2011. This notice refers to the transfer of the DG of the Scottish Government Environment Directorates in December 2010, and thus indirectly to this re-organisation.
- "Director General Economy". Scottish Government. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- "Reporting on 100 Days: Moving Scotland forward" Scottish Government. Retrieved 15 August 2009. "A new structure for Scotland's Government has been put in place, transforming the Departmental structure, moving from nine Heads of Department to a Strategic Board with the Permanent Secretary and six Directors-General (DGs), with each DG having responsibility for driving one of the Government's strategic objectives. Directors-General focus on the performance of the whole organisation against the Government's purpose. The new structure means that the old Scottish Executive Departments no longer exist. Instead, each DG supports and manages a number of Directorates headed by a Director with these Directorates leading, presenting and developing policy for Ministers."
