Deputy First Minister of Scotland

The Deputy First Minister of Scotland (Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear na h-Alba; Heid Meinister Depute o Scotland) is the second highest ranking minister of the Government of Scotland, behind the First Minister.

The post-holder is appointed by the First Minister, and deputises for the First Minister during a period of absence or whilst they are outwith Scotland undertaking overseas visits. During any period of the First Minister's absence, the DFM will be expected to answer to the Scottish Parliament on behalf of the First Minister at First Minister's Questions.

The role is currently held by Kate Forbes since 8 May 2024, following her appointment by John Swinney alongside her portfolio as Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic.

Overview
The post is not recognised in statute (in comparison with the post of First Minister which is established by the Scotland Act 1998), and its holder is simply an ordinary member of the Scottish Government. The post has nonetheless existed since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government in 1999. When one party governs alone, the Deputy First Minister is a senior member of the governing party, sometimes the party's deputy leader as with Nicola Sturgeon when she was SNP depute leader though at present this is not the case with the current SNP depute leader Keith Brown. When the government is formed by a coalition, the Deputy First Minister is usually the leader of the minority partner.

The Deputy First Minister, within the Scottish Government, has direct responsibility and control over the strategy of the Scottish Government, delivery and outcomes of ministerial portfolios, resilience, as well as cross-government co-ordination of public service reform. Alongside the responsibilities of the post-holders functions as Deputy First Minister, the post holder is also required to have direct responsibility for a cabinet secretary post.

Nomination and election
The Additional Member System used to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament makes it difficult for a single party to have an absolute majority. Between 1999 and 2007, the Scottish Executive was formed by a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition, with the leader of Scottish Labour serving as First Minister and the leader of the Scottish Lib Dems serving as Deputy First Minister.

Although the Scottish National Party (SNP) formed a single party minority administration following the 2007 election, the post was not abolished despite there being no need to recognise the status of a second party leader, instead being given to the SNP's depute leader, Nicola Sturgeon. When Sturgeon became First Minister, the party's depute leader, Stewart Hosie, was serving in the Parliament of the United Kingdom and did not have a seat in the Scottish Parliament. The Deputy First Minister's post thus went to John Swinney.

Government duties
The post holder of the Deputy First Minister of Scotland is solely responsible for the following areas within the Scottish Government (as of May 2024):

Direct government business

 * business, industry and manufacturing support
 * covid inquiries
 * cross-government delivery and outcomes
 * economic policy and prosperity
 * enterprise agencies
 * entrepreneurship
 * green industrial strategy (jointly with Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy)
 * Historical Abuse Inquiry
 * inter-governmental relations
 * labour market strategy (long-term)
 * languages, including Gaelic, Scots and British Sign Language (BSL)
 * National Performance Framework
 * Office of the Chief Economic Adviser
 * redress
 * Scottish National Investment Bank
 * Sheku Bayoh public inquiry
 * UK government engagement on shared prosperity fund, levelling up fund, European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF)

Infrastructure investment

 * city and regional growth deals
 * Clyde Mission
 * government investments (Prestwick, Fergusons, BiFab)
 * regional economic partnerships

Other cabinet positions
Shona Robison, appointed Deputy First Minister under Humza Yousaf in March 2023, also serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance. Alongside her responsibilities as Deputy First Minister, Robison is also responsible for the delivery of the Scottish budget, as well as "budgetary monitoring and reporting (including Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)), fiscal policy and taxation (including income tax), exchequer and the public finances, public sector pay, the Scottish Fiscal Commission, fiscal framework review, local government finance and public sector productivity".

Kate Forbes, who was appointed Deputy First Minister by John Swinney in May 2024, holds the additional cabinet responsibility for Economy and Gaelic. Shona Robison, the former Deputy First Minister, became the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in Swinney's government.