# Third Sturgeon government

Nicola Sturgeon formed the third Sturgeon government following her Scottish National Party's victory in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election. Sturgeon was nominated by a vote of the 6th Scottish Parliament for appointment to the post of First Minister on 18 May 2021 and announced the formation of a new Scottish National Party minority government on 19 May.
Sturgeon is the first First Minister to form a third government. Her cabinet, like her previous two, is 50/50 gender neutral. On 31 August 2021, the SNP and Scottish Greens entered a power-sharing arrangement which resulted in the appointment of two Green MSPs as junior ministers in the government, delivery of a shared policy platform, and Green support for the government on votes of confidence and supply.
Following Sturgeon’s decision to resign as Scottish First Minister and Leader of the SNP in February 2023, her government continued in a caretaker capacity until her successor, Humza Yousaf, was elected by the party at the end of the following month.

## History

In the May 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the Scottish National Party (SNP) won 64 of the 129 seats contested. Incumbent First Minister Nicola Sturgeon soon afterwards announced her intention to form a minority government. She was nominated for the post of first minister by a vote of the Scottish Parliament on 18 May, defeating Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie by 64 votes to 31 and 4 respectively.
Long standing ministers Jeane Freeman, Michael Russell, Roseanna Cunningham and Aileen Campbell did not seek re-election to the 6th Scottish Parliament, with Fiona Hyslop and Fergus Ewing standing down from government. This left Sturgeon with many empty posts.
Shortly after being elected, Sturgeon re-appointed John Swinney as Deputy First Minister of Scotland and also appointed him the newly created Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery post. Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes, Shirley-Anne Somerville and Michael Matheson all remained in government. Shona Robison and Keith Brown made a return to cabinet, having previously served in Sturgeon's governments. Only Mairi Gougeon and Angus Robertson were new to cabinet. The Scottish Parliament confirmed the appointment of ministers and junior ministers on 20 May.
In May 2021, both the Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, and Solicitor General for Scotland, Alison Di Rollo, announced their intention to step down as Scotland's top law officers. On 17 June, Sturgeon nominated Dorothy Bain QC to serve as Lord Advocate and Ruth Charteris QC to serve as Solicitor General. This is the first time in history both posts have been held by women.
On 20 August 2021, following two months of negotiations, the SNP and Scottish Greens announced a new power-sharing agreement. While not an official coalition, it would be the first time in both Scottish and UK history that Green politicians would be in government. The Greens hold two ministerial posts. The agreement will see both parties pledge for a second referendum on Scottish independence, an increase investment in active travel and public transport, enhancing tenants rights, a ten-year £500m Just Transition and establishing a National Care Service.
On 21 February 2023, Sturgeon chaired her final meeting of her third cabinet following her resignation the previous month. It was also Deputy First Minister John Swinney's final attendance to a Scottish Cabinet, having announced his retirement from government after serving under First Minister Alex Salmond and Sturgeon from 2007 until 2023. Swinney later became First Minister in May 2024 following the 2024 Scottish government crisis that led to the resignation of First Minister Yousaf.

## Cabinet

* This article is part of a series aboutNicola Sturgeon
Political positions
Electoral history
MSP for Glasgow
MSP for Glasgow Southside
Deputy First Minister of Scotland (2004–2014)
Salmond Ministry
2004 deputy leadership election
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing
Tobacco sale restrictions
Minimum unit pricing
Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Capital Investment and Cities
Independence referendum
Votes at 16
2014 Scottish independence referendum
Leader of the SNP (2014–2023)
2014 leadership election
First Minister of Scotland (2014–2023)
Premiership
International trips
First Ministry
Revenue Scotland
LBTT
SLfT
Community right to buy
Second Ministry
2016 election
Proposed second independence referendum
Brexit referendum
People's Vote
Social Security Scotland
Scottish National Investment Bank
Alex Salmond scandal
COVID-19 pandemic
Third Ministry
2021 election
Bute House Agreement
COP26
Ferry fiasco
Operation Branchform
Cost of living crisis
Bin worker strikes
ScotRail strikes
2023 proposed referendum
2022 Supreme Court referral
Gender reform bill
Resignation
2023 leadership election
UK General elections
2015
2017
2019 :
vte :

### May 2021 – March 2023

III Cabinet of Nicola Sturgeon :
| Portfolio | Minister | Term |
| Cabinet secretaries ||||
| First Minister | The Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP | 2014–2023 |
| Deputy First Minister | John Swinney MSP | 2014–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery | John Swinney MSP | 2021–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy | Kate Forbes MSP | 2020–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care | Humza Yousaf MSP | 2021–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills | Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP | 2021–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport | Michael Matheson MSP | 2018–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans | Keith Brown MSP | 2021–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government | Shona Robison MSP | 2021–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands | Mairi Gougeon MSP | 2021–2023 |
| Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture | The Rt Hon. Angus Robertson MSP | 2021–2023 |
| Also attending cabinet meetings ||||
| Permanent Secretary | John-Paul Marks | 2022–2023 |
| Minister for Parliamentary Business | George Adam MSP | 2021–2023 |
| Lord Advocate | The Rt Hon. Dorothy Bain KC | 2021–2023 |

#### Changes

* Leslie Evans stood down as the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government in January 2022 and was replaced by John-Paul Marks.

## List of junior ministers
### May 2021 – March 2023

Junior ministers :
| Post | Minister | Political Party | Political Party | Term |
| Minister for Drugs Policy | Angela Constance MSP | | SNP | 2020–2023 |
| Minister for Parliamentary Business | George Adam MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work | Richard Lochhead MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise | Ivan McKee MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth | Tom Arthur MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport | Maree Todd MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care | Kevin Stewart MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Children and Young People | Clare Haughey MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training | Jamie Hepburn MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform | Mairi McAllan MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Transport | Graeme Dey MSP | | SNP | 2021–2022 |
| Jenny Gilruth MSP | | SNP | 2022-2023 |
| Minister for Community Safety | Ash Regan MSP | | SNP | 2021–October 2022 |
| Elena Whitham MSP | | SNP | November 2022-2023 |
| Minister for Equalities and Older People | Christina McKelvie MSP | | SNP | 2018–2023 |
| Minister for Social Security and Local Government | Ben MacPherson MSP | | SNP | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development Minister with special responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine | Neil Gray MSP | | SNP | 2022–2023 |
| Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights | Patrick Harvie MSP | | Scottish Green | 2021–2023 |
| Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity | Lorna Slater MSP | | Scottish Green | 2021–2023 |

#### Changes

* Graeme Dey resigned as Minister for Transport and was replaced by Jenny Gilruth, the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development. Gilruth was succeeded by Neil Gray who was appointed Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development and Minister with special responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine.
* Ash Regan resigned as Minister for Community Safety in October 2022. Elena Whitham was appointed as the new Minister for Community Safety in November 2022.

## Scottish Law Officers

Law officers :
| Post | Name | Portrait | Term |
| Lord Advocate | The Rt Hon. Dorothy Bain KC | | 2021–2023 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Ruth Charteris KC | | 2021–2023 |