Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands

The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands is a member of the Scottish Government who works reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy. As a Junior Minister the post holder is not a member of the Scottish Government Cabinet.

Responsibilities include:[1]

• Energy and energy consents
• Renewable energy industries
• Connectivity including 100% broadband
• Cross government co-ordination on islands

History

From the advent of devolution in 1999 the ministerial portfolios of transport and infrastructure were combined with Environment to form the Minister for Transport and the Environment. From 2000 to 2001, in the government of First Minister Henry McLeish, the environment brief was removed and replaced with planning and the officeholder was styled the Minister for Transport and Planning. The government of First Minister Jack McConnell, from November 2001 to May 2003, combined the transport, planning and infrastructure briefs with economic affairs and further education, headed by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.

The 2nd McConnell government from 2003, created a cabinet position for transport and infrastructure - the officeholder being titled the Minister for Transport. Following a government reshuffle in 2005, the position was renamed Minister for Transport and Telecommunications.

The government of First Minister Alex Salmond, elected after the May 2007 Scottish general election, reduced the size of the Scottish Cabinet. Overall responsibility for transport, infrastructure, planning and climate change, came under the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, however direct responsibility was vested in the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, a junior ministerial position within the Scottish Government. In 2010, Climate Change functions were transferred to the junior Environment Minister, with the portfolio becoming Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. After the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the transport function was given to Alex Neil MSP, as Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment.

List of office holders

The current Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands is Paul Wheelhouse.

Minister for Transport and the Environment
Name		Portrait	Entered Office	Left Office	Party	First Minister
	Sarah Boyack		19 May 1999	29 October 2000	Labour	Donald Dewar
Minister for Transport and Planning
	Sarah Boyack		29 October 2000	27 November 2001	Labour	Henry McLeish
Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
	Wendy Alexander		27 November 2001	3 May 2002	Labour	Jack McConnell
	Iain Gray		3 May 2002	20 May 2003	Labour
Minister for Transport and Telecommunications
	Nicol Stephen		20 May 2003	23 June 2005	Liberal Democrats	Jack McConnell
	Tavish Scott		29 June 2005	29 January 2006	Liberal Democrats
Minister for Transport
	Tavish Scott		30 January 2006	17 May 2007	Liberal Democrats	Jack McConnell
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change
	Stewart Stevenson		17 May 2007	11 December 2010	Scottish National Party	Alex Salmond
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure
	Keith Brown[2]		11 December 2010	19 May 2011	Scottish National Party	Alex Salmond
Minister for Housing and Transport
	Keith Brown		19 May 2011	5 September 2012	Scottish National Party	Alex Salmond
Minister for Transport and Veterans
	Keith Brown		5 September 2012	21 November 2014	Scottish National Party	Alex Salmond
Minister for Transport and Islands
	Derek Mackay		21 November 2014	18 May 2016	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Minister for Transport and the Islands
	Humza Yousaf		18 May 2016	26 June 2018	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands
	Paul Wheelhouse		27 June 2018	Incumbent	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon

See also

• Scottish Parliament
• Question Time
• Scottish Government

References

1. "Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands". Scottish Government. 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
2. Keith Brown named new Scottish transport minister, BBC news, 12 December 2010

External links

• Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands on the Scottish Government website