Minister for Learning and Skills

Scotland

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The Minister for Learning and Skills is a Junior ministerial post in the Education Department of the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend^[1] the Scottish Cabinet. The post was created in May 2007 after the appointment of the Scottish National Party minority administration and the Minister reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, who has overall responsibility for the portfolio, and is a member of cabinet. The Minister for Learning and Skills has specific responsibility for school education, training and skills, HM Inspectorate of Education and the Scottish Qualifications Authority.^[2]

Minister

The current Minister for Learning and Skills is Alasdair Allan.^[3]

Minister for Schools and Skills
		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
	1.	Maureen Watt	17 May 2007	10 February 2009	Scottish National Party
	2.	Keith Brown	12 February 2009	12 December 2010	Scottish National Party
Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning
	1.	Keith Brown	17 January 2009	11 December 2010	Scottish National Party
	2.	Angela Constance	11 December 2010	April 2011	Scottish National Party
	3.	Alasdair Allan	20 May 2011	Incumbent	Scottish National Party

History

From 1999 to 2000 responsibility for Schools rested with the Minister for Children and Education, which became the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs in the McLeish Government of 2000 to 2001. From 2001 to 2007 the Schools portfolio rested with the Minister for Education and Young People. The Skills brief also rested with the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning between 1999 and 2007. The Salmond government, elected following the Scottish Parliament election, 2007 created the junior post of the Minister for Schools and Skills who assists the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, in the Scottish Executive Education Department.

References

1. ^ Scotland Act (1998), Only those appointed under Section 47 of the Scotland Act "attend" Cabinet. Junior ministers are appointed under Section 49 and may be "present".
2. ^ "Scottish Executive - Scottish Cabinet and Ministers". Scottish Executive. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/Scottish-Cabinet. Retrieved 2007-07-25. 
3. ^ "Scottish Cabinet and Ministers". Scottish Government. 2009-02-10. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/Scottish-Cabinet. Retrieved 2009-02-10. 

See also

• Scottish Parliament
• Question Time
• Scottish Government

External links

• Scottish Ministers - the Scottish Cabinet
• Minister for Schools and Skills - Scottish Government