Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Facts for Kids

"Rural Affairs Secretary" redirects here. For the UK position, see Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. For the Welsh position, see Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs (Wales).

Quick facts for kids Scotland Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands

Incumbent Mairi Gougeon since 20 May 2021
Scottish Government Scottish Cabinet
Style	Cabinet Secretary (within parliament) Rural Affairs Secretary (informal) Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary (outwith Scotland)
Member of	Scottish Parliament Scottish Cabinet
Reports to	Scottish Parliament
Seat	Edinburgh
Appointer	First Minister
Inaugural holder	Ross Finnie Minister for Rural Affairs
Formation	19 May 1999
Deputy	Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity
Salary	£118,511 per annum (2023) (including £67,662 MSP salary)

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands is an important job in the Scottish Government. This person is part of the Cabinet, which is like a team of top ministers who help run Scotland. People often call this role the Rural Affairs Secretary.

The person holding this job right now is Mairi Gougeon. She started in May 2021. Her main job is to look after rural areas in Scotland and its many islands. This includes things like farming, forests, fishing, and making sure food and drinks from Scotland are good. She also helps with crofting, which is a special type of small-scale farming in Scotland.

She gets help from another minister, Jim Fairlie. He is the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity. He also helps the Cabinet Secretary for Transport.

What Does the Cabinet Secretary Do?
A Look at the History of the Role
- How the Role Has Changed Over Time
People Who Have Held This Job
See Also

What Does the Cabinet Secretary Do?

Looking After Rural Scotland

The Cabinet Secretary is in charge of many things that affect people living in the countryside and on islands. This includes supporting farmers and fishermen. They also work on how land is used and owned.

Key Responsibilities

The main jobs of the Cabinet Secretary include:

Helping with farming and crofting.
Managing fisheries and fish farming (aquaculture).
Promoting Scottish food and drink products.
Caring for rural Scotland and its communities.
Looking after forests.
Ensuring the health and welfare of animals.
Working with other government departments on island issues.

Important Groups They Work With

The Cabinet Secretary works closely with several public bodies. These groups help carry out the government's plans for rural areas. Some of these groups are:

Crofting Commission: This group supports crofters.
Food Standards Scotland: They make sure food is safe to eat.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise: They help businesses and communities in the Highlands and Islands.
James Hutton Institute: This institute does research on land, crops, and the environment.
Moredun Research Institute: They research animal health.
Quality Meat Scotland: They promote Scottish meat.
Scottish Agricultural Wages Board: They set fair wages for farm workers.

A Look at the History of the Role

The job of looking after rural affairs in Scotland has changed names several times. It started in 1999 as the Minister for Rural Affairs.

How the Role Has Changed Over Time

In 2000, it became the Minister for Rural Development.
Then in 2001, it was called the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development.
After the 2007 election, it became a bigger role: Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment.
In 2014, it changed to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment.
After the 2016 election, it was renamed Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity.
In 2018, it became Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy. The "connectivity" part moved to a different minister.
Later, it was called Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands.
Since March 2023, the role has been known as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands.

People Who Have Held This Job

Here is a list of the people who have held this important role in the Scottish Government.

Name		Entered office	Left office	Party
Minister for Rural Affairs
	Ross Finnie	19 May 1999	26 October 2000	Liberal Democrats	Donald Dewar
Minister for Rural Development
	Ross Finnie	26 October 2000	22 November 2001	Liberal Democrats	Henry McLeish
Minister for the Environment and Rural Development
	Ross Finnie	22 November 2001	17 May 2007	Liberal Democrats	Jack McConnell
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment
	Richard Lochhead	17 May 2007	21 November 2014	Scottish National Party	Alex Salmond
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment
	Richard Lochhead	21 November 2014	18 May 2016	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity
	Fergus Ewing	18 May 2016	26 June 2018	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy
	Fergus Ewing	26 June 2018	17 February 2020	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism
	Fergus Ewing	17 February 2020	20 May 2021	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands
	Mairi Gougeon	20 May 2021	29 March 2023	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
	Mairi Gougeon	29 March 2023	Incumbent	Scottish National Party	Humza Yousaf John Swinney