Scottish Government facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scottish Government |
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| Scottish Gaelic: Riaghaltas na h-Alba Scots: Scots Govrenment |
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Devolved government
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| Overview | |
| Leader | First Minister (John Swinney) |
| Appointed by | First Minister approved by Parliament, ceremonially appointed by the monarch |
| Main organ | Scottish Cabinet |
| Responsible to | Scottish Parliament |
| Annual budget | £59.7 billion (2024–25) |
| Headquarters | St Andrew's House 2 Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG |
The Scottish Government (Scottish Gaelic: Riaghaltas na h-Alba) is the main government for Scotland. It was created in 1999. Before that, it was called the Scottish Executive. This happened after people in Scotland voted for more control over their own country in 1997.
The Scottish Government makes decisions and policies for Scotland. This includes things like the economy, schools, healthcare, and the police. They also look after farming, housing, the environment, and transport.
The Scottish Government is made up of people called Scottish Ministers. They work together to make laws and run the country. The government has to answer to the Scottish Parliament. The Parliament was also set up in 1998.
The First Minister is chosen by the Parliament. Then, the King formally appoints them. The Scottish Parliament makes laws on matters that are not handled by the UK Parliament in London.
Ministers are chosen by the First Minister. The Scottish Parliament and the King must approve them. These ministers are usually members of the Parliament. The government also has two main legal advisors. They are called the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General for Scotland. All these people, plus the staff who help them, are known as the Scottish Administration.
Contents
How the Scottish Government Started
A long time ago, in 1885, many decisions for Scotland were made by the Scottish Office. This was a department of the UK Government. It was led by a person called the Secretary for Scotland.
After the 1997 vote, many of these powers moved to the Scottish Ministers. These ministers then had to answer to the new Scottish Parliament.
The first Scottish Government was led by Donald Dewar. It was a team-up between the Scottish Labour Party and the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Later, other First Ministers like Henry McLeish and Jack McConnell continued this team-up.
In 2007, Alex Salmond became First Minister. His party, the Scottish National Party, took charge. He was followed by Nicola Sturgeon in 2014.
Also in 2007, the Scottish Executive changed its name to the Scottish Government. This change was later made official by a UK law in 2012. At the same time, they got a new logo. It uses the Flag of Scotland instead of the Royal Coat of Arms.
What the Scottish Government Does
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Working with Parliament
The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament are separate. The Parliament has 129 elected members. They are called MSPs. The Parliament makes laws for Scotland on matters that are devolved.
The Parliament checks the work of the Scottish Government. This includes new laws, plans, and activities. They do this through debates, special committees, and by asking questions to ministers.
Setting Goals for Scotland
The Scottish Government has something called the National Performance Framework. This plan sets out the government's main goals for Scotland. It helps them show what they want to achieve for the country. It also helps them check if they are making progress.
Every year, the government also publishes a Programme for Government. This document explains the specific plans and new laws they want to introduce in the coming year.
Making Laws
Most new laws that go to the Scottish Parliament come from the Scottish Government. First, the government creates a plan. For a bill to become a law in Scotland, most MSPs in the Parliament must vote for it. After that, the King gives it Royal Assent. Once this happens, the bill becomes a law in Scotland.
After a law is passed, the Scottish Government makes sure it works. They create smaller rules and details. These help the new law be put into practice and work well.
Sharing Information
The Scottish Government shares lots of information about life in Scotland. This includes facts about schools, the economy, healthcare, and how many people live here. They use these facts to see if their plans are working.
To be open and clear, the government publishes information for everyone to see. This includes how they spend public money. They also share details about senior staff, like their job titles and salaries. This helps people understand what the government is doing. The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 also lets people ask the government for information.
How the Scottish Government is Organised
The People in Charge
The Scottish Government has a First Minister. It also has a Deputy First Minister. There are nine senior ministers called Cabinet Secretaries. Plus, there are eighteen other government ministers. Cabinet Secretaries are the most senior members of the government's main team, called the Scottish Cabinet. The other ministers help the Cabinet Secretaries in their departments. They usually don't attend the main Cabinet meetings.
The government also has a Permanent Secretary. This person is the most senior civil servant. There are also two legal advisors, the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General for Scotland. They give legal advice to the government.
First Minister's Role
The First Minister of Scotland leads the Scottish Government. They also lead the Scottish Cabinet. Their main job is to create and present the government's plans and policies. The First Minister also represents Scotland at home and around the world.
The Scottish Parliament chooses the First Minister. Then, the King formally appoints them. The First Minister chooses the other ministers and legal advisors. As the leader, the First Minister is directly responsible to the Scottish Parliament for their actions and the government's work.
Currently, John Swinney is the First Minister. He is from the Scottish National Party. He started on 7 May 2024.
The First Minister is helped by the Deputy First Minister of Scotland. This role is currently held by Kate Forbes. The Deputy First Minister takes over when the First Minister is away. They might attend international meetings or answer questions in Parliament. The Deputy First Minister also has another job in the Cabinet. For example, Kate Forbes is also the Cabinet Secretary for Finance.
Permanent Secretary's Role
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The Permanent Secretary is the most senior civil servant in the Scottish Government. They lead the team that helps the government plan its work. They also directly support the First Minister and the Cabinet. This person is responsible for making sure the government's money and resources are used well. The current Permanent Secretary is John-Paul Marks.
The Permanent Secretary is part of the UK Civil Service. They work with other senior civil servants across the UK. The Scottish Government's Permanent Secretary reports to the Scottish Ministers on policy matters.
Civil Service Support
The Scottish Government is supported by many officials. These people are part of the UK Civil Service. In 2012, about 16,000 civil servants worked for the Scottish Government.
The civil service is a matter that the UK Parliament controls. However, Scottish Government civil servants work for the Scottish Government. They follow the rules of the UK Civil Service.
Eight Director-Generals lead different parts of Scotland's civil service. Each one is in charge of several departments and agencies. They help put government policies into action.
Government Departments
The Scottish Government is divided into 55 departments, called "directorates." These departments carry out government policies in specific areas. Unlike the UK Government, senior ministers do not directly run these departments.
The directorates are grouped into eight larger "Directorates General." Each is led by a senior civil servant called a "Director-General." As of early 2024, these include:
- Communities Directorates
- Corporate Directorates
- Economy Directorates
- Education and Justice Directorates
- Health and Social Care Directorates
- Net Zero Directorates
- Exchequer Directorates
- Strategy and External Affairs Directorates
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is Scotland's independent prosecution service. It is led by the Lord Advocate. This office is responsible for prosecuting crimes in Scotland.
The Main Board
The Scottish Government has a "strategic board." It includes the Permanent Secretary, the seven Director-Generals, and other advisors. This board helps the government by supporting the Permanent Secretary. It is the main team for the Scottish civil service.
Agencies and Public Bodies
The Scottish Government also has nine executive agencies. These agencies carry out specific tasks. Examples include the Scottish Prison Service and Transport Scotland. These agencies are staffed by civil servants.
There are also two non-ministerial departments. They report directly to the Scottish Parliament, not to ministers. These are the General Register Office for Scotland and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
The Scottish Government is also responsible for many other public bodies. These include groups like Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Water. These bodies are staffed by public servants. Other public bodies include NHS Boards and the HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland.
The Scottish Ministers' Team
The Scottish Government is led by the First Minister of Scotland. It also includes other Scottish Ministers and legal advisors. Besides the First Minister, there is a Deputy First Minister. There are nine Cabinet Secretaries and eighteen other ministers.
The Scottish Parliament chooses one of its members to be the First Minister. The King then appoints them. The First Minister then chooses the other ministers for different jobs. The most senior ministers, called Cabinet Secretaries, form a team with the First Minister called the Cabinet. The legal advisors, the Lord Advocate and Solicitor, can be appointed even if they are not MSPs. However, the Parliament must approve them. The King also appoints them based on the First Minister's advice.
The Cabinet
The Scottish Cabinet works together to plan policies for the Scottish Government. They meet every week when the Scottish Parliament is working. These meetings usually happen on Tuesday afternoons at Bute House. This is the official home of the First Minister.
The Cabinet has two smaller groups that help with specific tasks:
- Cabinet Sub-Committee on Legislation (for new laws)
- Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) Cabinet Sub-Committee (for emergencies)
Legal Advisors
The Lord Advocate is the main legal advisor to the Scottish Government. They also advise the the Crown in Scotland on legal matters. This includes civil and criminal cases that are handled by the Scottish Parliament. The Lord Advocate gives legal advice on government plans and new laws. They are also the chief public prosecutor for Scotland. This means they are in charge of all criminal prosecutions. They also investigate sudden or unexplained deaths in Scotland.
The current Lord Advocate is Dorothy Bain KC. She was chosen by Nicola Sturgeon in June 2021. The King appoints the Lord Advocate based on the First Minister's advice and with the Parliament's agreement.
The Solicitor General for Scotland is the deputy to the Lord Advocate. Their job is to advise the Scottish Government on Scottish law. They also help with the Crown Office. This office handles criminal prosecutions in Scotland. Together with the Lord Advocate, the Solicitor General is a senior legal advisor to the government. The current Solicitor General is Ruth Charteris KC.
Where the Scottish Government Works
The main building for the Scottish Government is St Andrew's House. It is located on Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Other government offices are in Victoria Quay and Saughton House in Edinburgh. Some are also in Atlantic Quay in Glasgow. The main offices for the Crown Office and the Lord Advocate are on Chambers Street in Edinburgh.
Many other buildings in Edinburgh are used by the Scottish Government. For example, Bute House on Charlotte Square is the official home of the First Minister.
Ministers and officials can also use Scotland House in London when they need to.
The Scottish Government also has local offices and special facilities across Scotland. These are used by groups like Rural Payments & Services and Marine Scotland.
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St Andrew's House, the main office of the Scottish Government.
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Victoria Quay, another office for the Scottish Government.
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Bute House, the official home of the First Minister.
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International Connections
The Scottish Government has an office in Brussels, Belgium. This office helps Scotland work with the European Union. The Scottish Government also has offices inside British Embassies in places like Washington, D.C., Berlin, and Beijing.
Scotland has eight international offices around the world:
- Beijing (inside the British Embassy)
- Berlin
- Brussels (called Scotland House Brussels)
- Copenhagen
- Dublin (inside the British Embassy)
- Ottawa (inside the British High Commission)
- Paris (inside the British Embassy)
- Washington DC (inside the British Embassy)
What the Scottish Government is Responsible For
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The Scottish Government is responsible for many areas in Scotland. These powers were given to them by the Scotland Act 1998 and other UK laws. If a power was previously handled by UK Government ministers, it was transferred to Scottish Ministers if it was a matter for the Scottish Parliament.
Here are some of the areas the Scottish Government is in charge of:
- Healthcare
- Education – from pre-school to university, and training
- Justice – civil and criminal law, courts, legal aid, and property law
- Most of transport – speed limits, some railways, cycling, parking, and road safety
- Environment – protecting the environment, climate change, pollution, and water
- Policing
- Planning
- Rural Affairs (like farming)
- Housing
- Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries – including most animal welfare
- Sport and the arts – like museums, galleries, and national sports bodies
- Helping consumers and giving advice
- Tourism – promoting Scotland to visitors
- Economic development
- Freedom of Information (FOI) requests
Later laws, the Scotland Acts of 2012 and 2016, gave them more powers over:
- Some taxes – like Income Tax on earnings, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, and Landfill Tax
- Scottish Parliament and local elections
- Some social security benefits
- Crown Estate of Scotland – managing land and property owned by the Crown in Scotland
- Some parts of the benefits system – like Best Start Grant and Carer's Allowance Supplement
- Some parts of the energy network – like renewable energy and onshore oil and gas
- Some parts of equality laws in Scotland
- Gaming machine licenses
The 1998 Act also allows Scottish Ministers to use powers that are still controlled by the UK Parliament. This means the Scottish Government can sometimes act on matters that are usually reserved.
Here are some important matters that are still controlled only by the Parliament of the United Kingdom:
- The Constitution – how the UK is governed
- Foreign Policy – how the UK deals with other countries
- National Security and Defence
- Economic policy
- Immigration and Nationality
- Trade and industry
- Energy (most aspects)
- Most parts of Social Security
- Civil Service
- Consumer rights
- International Development
- Copyright
- Telecommunications and Postal services
- Broadcasting
- Reserved taxes
- Currency
- Pensions
The Scottish Government has a big say in making new laws in Scotland. Most of the laws that become Acts of the Scottish Parliament come from them.
The Scottish Government also has a plan called the National Performance Framework (NPF). This plan helps measure how well Scotland is doing in areas like health, poverty, and education. It also describes the kind of Scotland the government wants to create. The NPF has eleven main goals, including:
- Children growing up loved and safe.
- People living in strong and safe communities.
- People enjoying Scotland's cultures.
- Having a strong and fair economy.
- People being well educated and skilled.
- Protecting and enjoying the environment.
- Having good jobs and fair work.
- People being healthy and active.
- Respecting human rights and living free from unfair treatment.
- Scotland being open and connected to the world.
- Tackling poverty and sharing opportunities fairly.
See also
In Spanish: Gobierno de Escocia para niños Laws about the Scottish Government
- Scotland Act 1998
- Scotland Act 2012
- Scotland Act 2016
How the Scottish Government Works
- Joint Ministerial Committee
- Council of Economic Advisers (Scotland)
History of the Scottish Government
