Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise

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Minister for Business
Scottish Gaelic: Ministear airson Gnothachais
Incumbent
Richard Lochhead
since 29 March 2023
StyleMinister
(within parliament)
Business Minister
(informal)
Scottish Business Minister
(outwith Scotland)
Member of
Reports toScottish Parliament
SeatEdinburgh
AppointerFirst Minister
Inaugural holderJim Mather
Minister for Enterprise Energy and Tourism
Formation17 May 2007
Salary£106,185 per annum (2024)[1]
(including £72,196 MSP salary)
Websitewww.gov.scot

The Minister for Business is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend[2] the Scottish Cabinet. The post was retitled in May 2024, with the Minister supporting the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Kate Forbes.[3]

List of office holders[edit]

The current Minister for Business is Richard Lochhead.

Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism[edit]

Name Portrait Entered Office Left Office Party First Minister
Jim Mather 17 May 2007 20 May 2011 Scottish National Party Alex Salmond

Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism[edit]

Fergus Ewing 20 May 2011 18 May 2016 Scottish National Party Alex Salmond
Nicola Sturgeon

Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy[edit]

Paul Wheelhouse 18 May 2016 27 June 2018 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon

Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills[edit]

Jamie Hepburn 27 June 2018 20 May 2021 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon

Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise[edit]

Ivan McKee 20 May 2021 29 March 2023 Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon

Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade[edit]

Richard Lochhead 29 March 2023 8 May 2024 Scottish National Party Humza Yousaf

Minister for Business[edit]

Richard Lochhead 8 May 2024 Incumbent Scottish National Party John Swinney

History[edit]

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 Business, Fair Work and Skills.[3] Upon the creation of the Third Sturgeon Government, the post was once more retitled as Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "MSP salaries". parliament.scot. The Scottish Parliament. 10 May 2024.
  2. ^ 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".
  3. ^ a b "Minister for Business - gov.scot". Scottish Government. Retrieved 10 May 2024.

External links[edit]