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- •[Edit] Executive arm of government
- •[Edit] Ministers
- •[Edit] Cabinet
- •[Edit] Cabinet sub-committees
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Scottish Government
The Scottish Government (Scottish Gaelic: Riaghaltas na h-Alba) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive (or Administration) remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998.[1] Following the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, the term Executive was rebranded and changed to Government by the new Scottish National Party administration.[2]
[Edit] Executive arm of government
The Scottish Government is responsible in Scotland for all issues that are not explicitly reserved to the United Kingdom Parliament at Westminster by Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998; such devolved matters include NHS Scotland, education, justice and home affairs, rural affairs, economic development and transport.
The Scottish Government has responsibility for an annual budget of more than £27 billion in the financial year 2005-2006, rising to more than £30 billion in 2007-2008.[3]
The Government is led by the First Minister. The Scottish Parliament nominates one of its Members to be appointed as First Minister by the Queen. He is assisted by various Cabinet Secretaries (Ministers) with individual portfolios and remits, who are appointed by him with the approval of Parliament. Junior Scottish Ministers are similarly appointed to assist Cabinet Secretaries in their work. The Scottish Law Officers, the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General can be appointed from outside the Parliament's membership, but are subject to its approval. The First Minister, the Cabinet Secretaries and the Scottish Law Officers are the Members of the Scottish Government. They are collectively known as the "Scottish Ministers".
The members of the government have substantial influence over legislation in Scotland, putting forward the majority of Bills that are successful in becoming Acts of the Scottish Parliament.[4]
Since 2007, the Scottish Government has been formed by the Scottish National Party who are the largest party in the Scottish Parliament, although they do not possess an overall majority. The current First Minister is Alex Salmond.
[Edit] Ministers
Main article: List of Scottish Governments
The structure of the ministerial team proposed by the Scottish National Party (SNP) after their election victory in May 2007 differs from the previous Administration. The nomenclature of Cabinet Secretary has been introduced. The Cabinet Secretaries and junior Ministers are:[5][6]
[Edit] Cabinet
The Scottish Cabinet normally meets weekly on Tuesday afternoons in St Andrew's House, in Edinburgh and in Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister, alternately[7]. It is the supreme collective decision-making body of the Scottish Government. The Cabinet consists of the Scottish Ministers (Cabinet Secretaries), excluding the Scottish Law Officers (the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General). The Lord Advocate attends meetings of the Cabinet only when requested by the First Minister, and she is not formally a member.[8]
The Cabinet is supported by the Cabinet Secretariat, which is based at St Andrew's House.