Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
| Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Style | Cabinet Secretary Rural Economy Secretary (within Scotland) Scottish Rural Economy Secretary (outwith Scotland) |
| Appointer | First Minister |
| Inaugural holder | Ross Finnie Minister for Rural Affairs |
| Formation | May 1999 |
| Website | www |
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism is a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet. The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for rural Scotland, tourism, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, food and drink, and crofting. The Cabinet Secretary was assisted by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform until 2016, when that role was given its own Cabinet level post. The Cabinet Secretary is assisted by the Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment, who also reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.[1]
The current Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism is Fergus Ewing, who was appointed in May 2016.
Overview
Responsibilities
The Cabinet Secretary's responsibilities are agriculture and crofting, fisheries and aquaculture, food and drink, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, rural Scotland, forestry, animal health, [1] and tourism.
Public bodies
The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism:
- Crofting Commission
- Food Standards Scotland
- Highlands and Islands Enterprise
- James Hutton Institute
- Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland
- Moredun Research Institute
- Quality Meat Scotland
- Scottish Agricultural Wages Board
- Scottish Land Commission
- VisitScotland
History
The position was created in 1999 as the Minister for Rural Affairs and renamed as the Minister for Rural Development in 2000 and again in 2001 as the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development. Following the 2007 election, the position of Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment was created, becoming the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment in a November 2014 reshuffle. Following the 2016 election, the position was the "Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity", but was again renamed to "Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy", with "connectivity" and Transport passing to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity.[1]
List of office holders
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See also
References
- ^ a b c "New Cabinet appointed". Scottish Government. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.