Secretary of State for Scotland

Secretary of State for Scotland
Post	Secretary of State for Scotland
Body	the United Kingdom
Insigniacaption	Royal Arms, used by HM Government
Incumbent	Alister Jack
Incumbentsince	24 July 2019
Department	Scotland Office
Style	The Right Honourable, (UK and Commonwealth), Secretary of State, (informal)
Member of	Cabinet, Privy Council
Reports to	The Prime Minister
Seat	Whitehall, London
Nominator	The Prime Minister
Appointer	The Monarch
Appointer qualified	on advice of the Prime Minister
Termlength	At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation	1 July 1885, 5 July 1999 (current form)
First	Sir George Trevelyan
Abolished	2 April 1926, 1 July 1999
Deputy	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Salary	£154,089 per annum (2022), (including £86,584 MP salary)
Website	[https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-scotland gov.uk/secretary-state-scotland]

Secretary of State for Scotland. The Secretary of State for Scotland is a senior minister in the Government of the United Kingdom and head of the Scotland Office. Appointed by the sovereign on the advice of the Prime Minister, the officeholder represents Scottish affairs within the UK Cabinet following the establishment of devolution to the Scottish Parliament. The incumbent, Alister Jack, was appointed by Boris Johnson in July 2019 and has served under successive prime ministers including Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

History

The office was first created in 1885 during the premiership of William Ewart Gladstone, with Sir George Trevelyan as its inaugural holder, in response to growing demands for administrative attention to Scottish affairs. It was subsumed into the broader Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs in 1926 but was re-established in 1936, with its holder overseeing the Scottish Office based at Dover House in Whitehall. The role's powers were fundamentally altered by the Scotland Act 1998, which created the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government, transferring many domestic responsibilities to the First Minister in Edinburgh. Key historical figures include Tom Johnston, who served during the Second World War, and Michael Forsyth, the last Secretary of State before devolution.

Responsibilities

The Secretary of State's primary duties involve representing Scotland’s interests within the UK Government and overseeing the implementation of reserved matters under the Scotland Act 1998. This includes significant policy areas such as constitutional affairs, national security, broadcasting, and fiscal policy including the block grant determined through the Barnett formula. The officeholder promotes cooperation between the UK Government and the Scottish Government on matters like international relations, energy security, and trade policy. They also play a key role in the legislative process for Acts of the Scottish Parliament requiring Section 35 consent and manage the Crown’s property interests in Scotland, such as the Crown Estate.

List of officeholders

Since its revival in 1936, notable officeholders have included Walter Elliot, Arthur Woodburn, and Willie Ross. Following the 1997 general election, Donald Dewar served before becoming the inaugural First Minister of Scotland. Subsequent holders include Alistair Darling, who later became Chancellor of the Exchequer, and David Mundell, the first Conservative to hold the post following the 2015 election. The current Secretary of State, Alister Jack, MP for Dumfries and Galloway, was appointed in the First Johnson ministry.

Constitutional role

The position is a key component of the devolution settlement established by the Scotland Act 1998 and subsequent legislation like the Scotland Act 2016. The Secretary of State is the principal UK government link to the Scottish Parliament and has specific statutory duties, including laying Orders in Council before the UK Parliament to modify the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. The officeholder can also intervene, under Section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998, to prevent a Presiding Officer’s submitted Bill from receiving Royal Assent if it is deemed to affect reserved matters. This role was notably exercised by Alister Jack regarding the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Relationship with the Scottish Government

The Secretary of State works alongside the First Minister of Scotland, currently Humza Yousaf of the Scottish National Party, and the Deputy First Minister of Scotland. Their interaction is formalized through mechanisms like the Joint Ministerial Committee and the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and devolved governments. This relationship involves both collaboration and conflict, particularly on divisive issues such as a potential second independence referendum, energy policy, and the management of COVID-19 pandemic responses. The Scotland Office facilitates regular dialogue between Whitehall departments and the Scottish Government headquarters at St Andrew's House.

Office and staff

The Secretary of State is supported by the Scotland Office, a department of the UK Government with main offices at Dover House in London and Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh. The office is staffed by civil servants and includes the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, currently John Lamont. The staff manage the Secretary of State’s correspondence, parliamentary business, and engagement with stakeholders including local authorities in Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, and institutions like the National Museums Scotland. The office also oversees the administration of Scottish elections to the UK Parliament and handles the Secretary of State’s appearances before the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.

Category:Secretaries of State for Scotland Category:Government of Scotland Category:British ministerial offices and the United Kingdom government offices and the United Kingdom