Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, commonly referred to as the Education Secretary, is a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet responsible for all levels of education in Scotland.

The Cabinet Secretary is supported by the Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland's Languages and the Minister for Children and Young People which are both junior ministerial posts.^[1]

The current Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning is Angela Constance, who was appointed in November 2014.

Overview

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning include:

• science
• higher education and universities
• further education and colleges
• educational attainment
• schools
• school standards, quality and improvement
• teaching profession
• school infrastructure and staffing
• behaviour
• measures to combat bullying
• qualifications
• modern languages
• Scottish studies
• children's rights
• children's services
• early years
• adoption and fostering
• child protection
• looked after children
• Children's hearings
• protection of vulnerable groups
• social services workforce
• youth work
• non-advanced vocational skills
• Scottish Gaelic
• Scots language

Public bodies

The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning:

• Bòrd na Gàidhlig
• Care Inspectorate
• Children's Hearings Scotland
• Education Scotland
• Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
• Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council
• Scottish Qualifications Authority
• Scottish Social Services Council
• Student Awards Agency for Scotland

History

The position was created in 1999 as the Minister for Children and Education; it was renamed as the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs in 2000 and given more responsibilities; those were taken away from the post in 2001 and it was renamed again as the Minister for Education and Young People. The current position of Cabinet Secretary was created following the 2007 election.

List of Office holders

Name		Portrait	Entered Office	Left Office	Party	First Minister
	Sam Galbraith		16 May 1999	28 November 2001	Labour Party	Donald Dewar
	Jack McConnell		28 November 2001	22 November 2002	Labour Party	Henry McLeish
	Cathy Jamieson		22 November 2002	20 May 2003	Labour Party	Jack McConnell
	Peter Peacock		20 May 2003	14 November 2006	Labour Party
	Hugh Henry		14 November 2006	16 May 2007	Labour Party
	Fiona Hyslop		16 May 2007	1 December 2009	Scottish National Party	Alex Salmond
	Michael Russell		1 December 2009	21 November 2014	Scottish National Party
	Angela Constance		21 November 2014	Incumbent	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon

References

1. "Biographies and responsibilities: Ministerial responsibilities: Education portfolio". Scottish Government. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2015.