Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform

The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform was a cabinet post in the Scottish Government. The Cabinet Secretary was supported by the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment, who also reported to the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy.[1]

For environment ministers in other countries, see Minister of the Environment.


Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform of Scottish Government
Incumbent
Office not in use
since 19 May 2021
StyleCabinet Secretary
Environment Secretary
AppointerFirst Minister
Inaugural holderJohn Home Robertson
Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Land Reform
FormationJuly 1999
Websitewww.gov.scot

Overview

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform:

  • climate change and environmental protection
  • biodiversity
  • environmental and climate justice
  • flood prevention and coastal erosion
  • land use and land reform
  • animal welfare
  • wildlife crime
  • water quality

Public bodies

The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform:

History

In the first Dewar Government, the environment brief was the responsibility of the Minister for Transport and Environment and the Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Land Reform, changing to the Minister of the Environment, Sport and Culture and the Deputy Minister for Rural Development from 2000 to 2001. From 2001 and 2007, environment was combined with the rural affairs brief for the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, with the associated deputy post of Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development.

The Salmond government, elected following the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, created the junior ministerial post of the Minister for Environment who assisted the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment, in the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department. A junior minister did not attend the Scottish Cabinet unless his/her Cabinet Secretary was absent. The Minister for Environment and Climate Change and Land Reform took the lead role in environment and natural heritage, crofting, forestry, aquaculture, sport fishing, land reform, access, water quality regulation, sustainable development and climate change.[2] In 2010, Climate Change was added to the Environment portfolio becoming Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Land reform was added to the title in November 2014 after Nicola Sturgeon's first reshuffle on her appointment to First Minister of Scotland.

The Ministerial post was abolished in May 2016 at the beginning of the second Sturgeon government. The duties of the junior Ministerial post were upgraded to full Cabinet Secretary status at that point as the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.

List of office holders

The final Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform was Roseanna Cunningham.

Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Land Reform

Name Entered Office Left Office Party
1. John Home Robertson 19 May 1999 2 November 2000 Labour

Deputy Minister for Rural Development

2. Rhona Brankin 2 November 2000 29 November 2001 Labour

Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development

3. Allan Wilson 29 November 2001 1 October 2004 Labour
4. Lewis Macdonald 1 October 2004 27 June 2005 Labour
5. Rhona Brankin 27 June 2005 14 November 2006 Labour
6. Sarah Boyack 14 November 2006 17 May 2007 Labour

Minister for Environment

7. Michael Russell 17 May 2007 12 February 2009 Scottish National Party
8. Roseanna Cunningham 12 February 2009 11 December 2010 Scottish National Party

Minister for Environment and Climate Change

9. Roseanna Cunningham 11 December 2010 24 May 2011 Scottish National Party
10. Stewart Stevenson 25 May 2011 6 September 2012 Scottish National Party
11. Paul Wheelhouse 6 September 2012 21 November 2014 Scottish National Party

Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform

12. Aileen McLeod 21 November 2014 18 May 2016 Scottish National Party

Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform

13. Roseanna Cunningham 18 May 2016 19 May 2021 Scottish National Party

References
  1. "Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment". Scottish Government. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  2. "Scottish Executive - Scottish Cabinet and Ministers". Scottish Executive. Retrieved 25 July 2007.
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