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.
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: Cairngorms National Park Authority Crown Estate Scotland Drinking Water Quality Regulator Forestry and Land Scotland Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority NatureScot Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Scottish Canals Scottish Environment Protection Agency Scottish Forestry Scottish Land Commission Scottish Water Water Industry Commission for Scotland
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. 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 NameEntered officeLeft officeParty John Home Robertson19 May 19992 November 2000LabourDeputy Minister for Rural Development Rhona Brankin2 November 200029 November 2001LabourDeputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development Allan Wilson29 November 20011 October 2004Labour Lewis Macdonald1 October 200427 June 2005Labour Rhona Brankin27 June 200514 November 2006Labour Sarah Boyack14 November 200617 May 2007LabourMinister for Environment Michael Russell17 May 200712 February 2009Scottish National Party Roseanna Cunningham12 February 200911 December 2010Scottish National PartyMinister for Environment and Climate Change Roseanna Cunningham11 December 201024 May 2011Scottish National Party Stewart Stevenson25 May 20116 September 2012Scottish National Party Paul Wheelhouse6 September 201221 November 2014Scottish National PartyMinister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Aileen McLeod21 November 201418 May 2016Scottish National PartyCabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham18 May 201619 May 2021Scottish National Party
References
External links Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform on the Scottish Government website