The Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture (Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson Bun-reachd, Cùisean Taobh A-muigh agus Cultar), commonly referred to as the Constitution Secretary (Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire a’ Bhun-reachd), is a cabinet position in the Scottish Government. The incumbent Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture is Angus Robertson, who assumed office in May 2021.
The Cabinet Secretary was supported by the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development until May 2024.
The Europe and External Affairs brief was instituted in 2000 and combined with Education as the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs which was a Cabinet position in the McLeish Government. After 2001 the Europe and External Affairs Brief was abolished as a ministerial position. From 1999 to 2001, the Culture brief was a junior post in the Scottish Government as Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport. It was made into a Cabinet position as Minister for Culture and Sport in the First McConnell government from 2001 to 2003. The Second McConnell government from 2003 to 2007 combined the Culture and Sport brief with Tourism to form a Cabinet post in the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport. Culture was combined with External Affairs and Europe, to form a junior ministerial position, of Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture in the Salmond government following the 2007 Scottish Parliament election. In February 2009 the role was expanded to deal with constitutional issues this additional role was later removed in December 2009 following the publication of the National Conversation.[2] After the 2011 Scottish Parliament election the office-holder returned to the Cabinet with the junior ministerial post being transformed into the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs.[3] After the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, the post was retitled Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs.
In February 2020 the existing Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop took on additional responsibilities for economic matters from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy (that role becoming the Cabinet Secretary for Finance), whilst responsibility for external affairs was transferred to the Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations, with that post being renamed Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs. Tourism moved to the Rural Economy brief.[4] On 19 May 2021 the position ceased to exist with the re-creation of the positions of Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy and the separate Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture reconstituted.
The responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture:[5]