McLennan named housing minister in Scots cabinet

A DEDICATED minister for housing in Scotland has been appointed by the country’s new First Minister, Humza Yousaf.

Paul McLennan, SNP MSP for East Lothian, joins a cabinet comprising ten cabinet secretaries and 18 junior ministers.

Previously, housing was in the wider portfolio of Shona Robison, then Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, now Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance.

Meanwhile, Joe FitzPatrick has been named Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning.

The full cabinet list reads (as announced, here), as follows:

First Minister, Humza Yousaf

Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy, Elena Whitham

Minister for Independence, Jamie Hepburn

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Shona Robison

Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance, Tom Arthur

Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning, Joe FitzPatrick

Minister for Parliamentary Business, George Adam

Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, Michael Matheson

Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto

Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Jenny Gilruth

Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise, Natalie Don

Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans, Graeme Dey

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition, Màiri McAllan

Minister for Transport, Kevin Stewart

Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Neil Gray

Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Richard Lochhead

Minister for Energy, Gillian Martin

Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity (who will also work alongside the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition), Lorna Slater

Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights (who will also work alongside the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice), Patrick Harvie

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson

Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, Christina McKelvie

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville

Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees, Emma Roddick

Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, Angela Constance

Minister for Victims and Community Safety, Siobhian Brown

Picture credit: Scottish Government

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