Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs

The Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture (Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson Bun-reachd, Cùisean Taobh A-muigh agus Cultar), commonly referred to as the Constitution Secretary (Rùnaire a’ Bhun-reachd), was a cabinet position in the Scottish Government. In May 2021 the role also gained responsibility for culture, becoming the new position of Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture.

The Cabinet Secretary was supported by the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development.

History
The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum took place on 23 June 2016. This position was established (initially as "Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe") so that the Scottish government would be involved in the development of the UK government's position before the Prime Minister triggered Article 50.

During a Scottish Government reshuffle in June 2018, the post was promoted to the Cabinet and renamed Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations. It was further renamed to Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs in February 2020.

Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs included:


 * independence
 * cross-government co-ordination of European and external relations
 * policy in relation to UK's exit from the EU
 * post-Brexit relations
 * migration
 * Scottish diaspora
 * Global Affairs Network
 * Scottish Cities of Refuge
 * New Scot strategy
 * Registers of Scotland
 * British Irish Council
 * Royal and ceremonial

List of office holders
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 0 0 0 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; "
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland's Place in Europe
!colspan="2"|Name ! width=75|Portrait !Entered office !Left office !Party !First Minister
 * Mike Russell
 * Michael Russell (30817394414).jpg
 * 26 August 2016
 * 26 June 2018
 * Scottish National Party
 * Nicola Sturgeon
 * colspan="7"|
 * Nicola Sturgeon
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations

 * Mike Russell
 * Michael Russell (30817394414).jpg
 * 26 June 2018
 * 17 February 2020
 * Scottish National Party
 * Nicola Sturgeon
 * colspan="7"|
 * Nicola Sturgeon
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs

 * Mike Russell
 * Michael Russell (30817394414).jpg
 * 17 February 2020
 * 20 May 2021
 * Scottish National Party
 * Nicola Sturgeon
 * colspan="7"| Role merged with culture responsibilities from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture to become Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture
 * }
 * colspan="7"| Role merged with culture responsibilities from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture to become Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture
 * }
 * }
 * }