As ever, responsibilities for issues that relate to community development are spread amongst almost all members of the new Scottish Cabinet. This is our selection of relevant responsibilities:
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy Nicola Sturgeon MSP
- Health promotion, sport, public health, health improvement, community care, older people, mental health, carers, substance misuse, social inclusion, equalities, anti-poverty measures, and cities strategy
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth John Swinney MSP
- Local government, public service delivery, and community planning, voluntary sector and the social economy, community business and co-operative development, renewables
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Michael Russell MSP
- Lifelong learning, early years, training and skills, new education agency (Angela Constance, Minister for Children and Young People, has retained CLD as part of her portfolio)
Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill MSP
- Anti-social behaviour, human rights, community safety, charity law, religious and faith organisations
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead MSP
- Land reform, sustainable development, and climate change
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop MSP
- Lottery funding
Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Alex Neil MSP
- Housing, communities and regeneration.
SPICe at the Scottish Parliament have produced two briefings for the new parliamentarians. The first on the election itself and the second on the key issues for the Parliament in session 4.
