The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, commonly referred to as the Rural Affairs Secretary , is a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet. The incumbent Cabinet Secretary is Mairi Gougeon, who was appointed in May 2021. The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for rural Scotland and its islands, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, food and drink, and crofting. The Cabinet Secretary is assisted by the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie, who also supports the Cabinet Secretary for Transport.

History

The position was created in 1999 as the Minister for Rural Affairs and renamed as the Minister for Rural Development in 2000 and again in 2001 as the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development. Following the 2007 election, the position of Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment was created, becoming the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment in a November 2014 reshuffle. Following the 2016 election, the position was re-titled Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, but was again renamed in June 2018 to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy, with connectivity passing to the new Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity. In the third Sturgeon government, the role was re-styled to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands. In the first Yusaf government, the role was re-styled to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands.

Overview

Responsibilities

The Cabinet Secretary's responsibilities are agriculture and crofting, fisheries and aquaculture, food and drink, rural Scotland, forestry, animal health and welfare, and cross-government co-ordination on islands.

Public bodies

The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands:

List of office holders

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Minister for Rural Affairs

!colspan="2"|Name ! width=75|Portrait !Entered office !Left office !Party ! colspan=2|First Minister

Minister for Rural Development

Minister for the Environment and Rural Development

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment

Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands