The Minister for Business and Fair Work is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet.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". The post was retitled in June 2025, with the Minister supporting the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Kate Forbes.
History From 1999 to 2007, enterprise and energy were the responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning. The Second McConnell government from 2003 to 2007 instituted Tourism as a portfolio, combined with Culture and Sport, as the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport.
The Salmond government, elected following the 2007 Scottish Parliament election created the junior post of Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism by combining the roles. In November 2014 his post became the Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism, as part of the first Sturgeon government. The post was retitled as Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy as part of the second Sturgeon government, and renamed again in June 2018 to Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills. Upon the creation of the third Sturgeon Government, the post was once more retitled as Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise.
In March 2023, Humza Yousaf renamed the role Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade and appointed Richard Lochhead to the position. In his streamlining of government upon becoming First Minister in May 2024, John Swinney renamed the post Minister for Business. In June 2025, Swinney abolished the position of Minister for Employment and Investment and the employment portfolio was absorbed into the new role of Minister for Business and Employment, with Lochhead continuing in post.
List of office holders Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism NamePortraitEntered officeLeft officePartyFirst Minister Jim Mather17 May 200720 May 2011Scottish National PartyAlex Salmond Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism Fergus Ewing20 May 201118 May 2016Scottish National PartyAlex Salmond Nicola Sturgeon Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy Paul Wheelhouse18 May 201627 June 2018Scottish National PartyNicola Sturgeon Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills Jamie Hepburn27 June 201820 May 2021Scottish National PartyNicola Sturgeon Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise Ivan McKee20 May 202129 March 2023Scottish National PartyNicola Sturgeon Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Richard Lochhead29 March 20238 May 2024Scottish National PartyHumza Yousaf Minister for Business Richard Lochhead8 May 202411 June 2025Scottish National PartyJohn Swinney Minister for Business and Employment Richard Lochhead11 June 202520 May 2026Scottish National PartyJohn Swinney Minister for Business and Fair Work Tom Arthur20 May 2026IncumbentScottish National PartyJohn Swinney
See also Scottish Parliament
References
External links Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy on Scottish Government website