23 May 2011
First Minister Alex Salmond has completed his Scottish National Party government team with a newly created minister for local government and planning.
Aileen Campbell, the youngest member of the last Parliament, has been appointed to the role after winning the seat of Clydeside for the SNP at the Holyrood elections on May 5.
She will serve
under Finance and Sustainable Growth Secretary John Swinney, whoserole will include a bigger focus on employment.
Responsibility for infrastructure and capital investment has been transferred from the finance secretary role to a new Cabinet level post, held by former housing minister Alex Neil.
Salmond has also upgraded two ministers and their roles to Cabinet level: parliamentary business and government strategy, held by Bruce Crawford, and culture and external affairs, held by Fiona Hyslop. This brings the total number in the Cabinet to nine, up by three.
The remainder of the Cabinet is unchanged, with Nicola Sturgeon, Kenny MacAskill and Richard Lochhead retaining their respective posts of health, justice and rural affairs & environment.
Campbell is one of four new ministers below the Cabinet. Michael Matheson is public health minister, replacing Shona Robison who has moved to the Commonwealth Games and sport brief, also in the health department.
Alasdair Allan becomes minister for learning and skills within the education and lifelong learning portfolio, while Brian Adam joins the team as chief whip and minister for parliamentary business.
Following the announcement of the new government, the first with a parliamentary majority since devolution, opposition parties have also made their own frontbench appointments.
Swinney’s reformed job as finance, employment and sustainable growth secretary will be shadowed by Richard Baker for Labour and Gavin Brown for the Conservatives.
