The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing (), commonly referred to as the Social Justice Secretary, is a position in the Scottish Government cabinet. The Cabinet Secretary has overall responsibility for community planning, social security, the third sector. The current Cabinet Secretary is Shirley-Anne Somerville since 2023.
The Cabinet Secretary is assisted by one junior Minister, the Minister for Equalities.
History From 2007 to 2009 the Minister for Communities and Sport was a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. In 2009, sport was linked with public health and the role became the Minister for Housing and Communities.
Following the 2011 election, the role was reorganised as Minister for Housing and Welfare but as a junior ministerial position, the Minister did 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".
A cabinet post was created in April 2014 as a result of Alex Salmond's gender-balancing cabinet reshuffle. The post was Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games, Sport, Equalities and Pensioners' Rights with Shona Robison at the helm. This was short-lived, however, as the job was further restyled as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights as a result of Nicola Sturgeon's first reshuffle after she became First Minister in November 2014, with Alex Neil being given the role.
This was further rebranded in May 2016 as Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities in the second Sturgeon government, being held by Angela Constance.
Between 2018 and 2021 the role was divided between Shirley-Anne Somerville as Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, and Aileen Campbell as Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government.
Following the appointment for the third Sturgeon government, the role was re-merged with Shona Robison appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government.
Shirley-Anne Somerville was re-appointed to the role, as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, at the start of the first Yousaf government and retained her position in the second Yousaf government and the Swinney government.
Overview
Responsibilities The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice are:
Baby Box benefit automation and advice services human rights minimum income guarantee Ministerial Taskforce on Population national mission for tackling child poverty Office of Chief Social Policy Advisor Scottish Government benefits (development and delivery) Scottish Welfare Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) social justice, tackling poverty and inequalities Social Security Scotland third sector, social enterprises and Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) UN treaty incorporation including United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
Public bodies The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justic:Justice: Social Security Scotland
List of office holders NamePortraitEntered officeLeft officePartyFirst Minister Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games, Sport, Equalities and Pensioners' Rights colspan=2 Shona Robison 22 April 2014 21 November 2014Scottish National PartyAlex SalmondCabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights colspan=2 Alex Neil 21 November 2014 18 May 2016Scottish National PartyNicola SturgeonCabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities colspan=2 Angela Constance 18 May 2016 26 June 2018Scottish National PartyNicola SturgeonCabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older PeopleCabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government NamePortrait Entered office Left office Party First Minister NamePortrait Entered office Left office Party First Minister colspan=2 Shirley-Anne Somerville 26 June 2018 19 May 2021Scottish National PartyNicola Sturgeon Aileen Campbell 26 June 2018 19 May 2021Scottish National PartyNicola SturgeonNamePortraitEntered officeLeft officePartyFirst MinisterCabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government colspan=2 Shona Robison20 May 202129 March 2023Scottish National PartyNicola SturgeonCabinet Secretary for Social Justice colspan=2 rowspan=2 Shirley-Anne Somerville29 March 202320 May 2026Scottish National Party Humza Yousaf John SwinneyCabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing colspan=2 rowspan=2 Shirley-Anne Somerville20 May 2026IncumbentScottish National Party John Swinney
References
External links Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government on the Scottish Government website