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

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

The person holding this job right now is Mairi Gougeon. She started in May 2021.

The Cabinet Secretary is in charge of many things that affect the countryside and islands of Scotland. This includes farming, forests, fishing, and making sure food and drinks from Scotland are good. They also look after crofting, which is a special type of small-scale farming in Scotland.

A helper called the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie, works with the Cabinet Secretary. He also helps the Cabinet Secretary for Transport.

History of the Role

This important job started in 1999. Back then, it was called the Minister for Rural Affairs. Over the years, its name has changed several times to show what the job focused on. For example, it was once called the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development.

After the 2007 election, it became a Cabinet Secretary role, which is a more senior position. It was then called the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment. The name has continued to change, reflecting new priorities like food, connectivity, and land reform. The current name, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, was given in 2023.

What Does This Job Do?

Key Responsibilities

The Cabinet Secretary has many important duties. They are responsible for:

• Agriculture and Crofting: Helping farmers and crofters in Scotland.
• Fisheries and Aquaculture: Looking after fishing and fish farming.
• Food and Drink: Supporting Scotland's food and drink industry.
• Rural Scotland: Making sure rural areas are good places to live and work.
• Forestry: Managing Scotland's forests and trees.
• Animal Health and Welfare: Ensuring animals are healthy and well-cared for.
• Islands: Working with different parts of the government to help Scotland's islands.

Who Helps the Secretary?

The Cabinet Secretary works with several public organizations to get things done. These groups help with different parts of their job. Some of these organizations include:

• Crofting Commission
• Food Standards Scotland
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise
• James Hutton Institute
• Moredun Research Institute
• Quality Meat Scotland

Who Has Held This Job?

The first person to hold this role was Ross Finnie, who was the Minister for Rural Affairs starting in 1999. Many different people have held this important position since then.

The current Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands is Mairi Gougeon. She has been in this role since 2021, though the exact title has changed slightly during her time.

Images for kids

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  Ross Finnie, the first person to hold this role.

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  Richard Lochhead, who held the role for many years.

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  Fergus Ewing, a former Cabinet Secretary.

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  Mairi Gougeon, the current Cabinet Secretary.

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  Official portrait of Mairi Gougeon.

See also

• List of Scottish ministers of the environment