Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities is a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet. The Cabinet Secretary has overall responsibility for elections, local government, community planning, housing, welfare, the third sector, equality and human rights. The Cabinet Secretary is assisted by two junior Ministers: the Minister for Social Security and the Minister for Local Government and Housing.
The current Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities is Angela Constance, who was appointed in May 2016.
Overview
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities include:
Welfare policy, Community empowerment, Devolution to Communities and Reform of Local Government, Equalities, Religious and faith organisations, Protection and development of Social and Human Rights, Third sector and social economy, Democratic renewal, Local government, Housing, Homelessness, Community planning, Planning, Business improvement districts, Town centres, Building standards, Social security, Implementation of new powers, Measures against poverty, Disabilities, Older people.
History
From 2007 to 2009 the Minister for Communities and Sport was a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. In 2009, sport was linked with public health and the role became the Minister for Housing and Communities.
Following the 2011 election, the role was reorganised as Minister for Housing and Welfare[1] but as a junior ministerial position, the Minister did not attend the Scottish Cabinet.[2]
A cabinet post was created in April 2014 as a result of Alex Salmond's gender-balancing cabinet reshuffle. The post was Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games, Sport, Equalities and Pensioners' Rights with Shona Robison at the helm. This was short-lived, however, as the job was further restyled as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights as a result of Nicola Sturgeon's first reshuffle after she became First Minister in November 2014, with Alex Neil being given the role.
This was further rebranded in May 2016 as Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities in the second Sturgeon government.
List of office holders
Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games, Sport, Equalities and Pensioners' Rights |
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| Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Party | First Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shona Robison | 75px | 22 April 2014 | 21 November 2014 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | ||
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners' Rights |
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| Alex Neil | .jpg) |
21 November 2014 | 18 May 2016 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | ||
Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities |
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| Angela Constance | 75px | 18 May 2016 | incumbent | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | ||
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Scotland Act (1998), Only those appointed under Section 47 of the Scotland Act "attend" Cabinet. Junior ministers are appointed under Section 49 and may be "present".
