Member of the Scottish Parliament ( MSP ) for Moray
What position did Richard Lochhead take from May 2007 to Mar 2011?
Richard Lochhead Richard Neilson Lochhead ( born 24 May 1969 ) is a Scottish National Party ( SNP ) politician who is Minister for Just Transition , Employment and Fair Work and has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament ( MSP ) for Moray since 2006 . He was previously an MSP for North East Scotland 1999–2006 and served as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs , Food and Environment from 2007 to 2016 , and the Minister for Further Education , Higher Education and Science from 2018 to 2021 . Background and early career . A native of Paisley , Lochhead attended Williamwood High School in Clarkston and Central College of Commerce in Glasgow before he graduated in 1994 in Political Studies from the University of Stirling . He worked for the SNP leader , Alex Salmond , as his Office Manager from 1994 to 1998 , before becoming an environmental development officer for Dundee City Council . He was the SNP candidate in Gordon in the 1997 UK General Election , where he finished third . He subsequently fought the Aberdeen Central constituency in both 1999 and 2003 , but came second to Lewis Macdonald each time . Scottish Parliament . Lochhead was elected to the Scottish Parliament at the 1999 election and re-elected at the 2003 election for the North East Scotland Region . In January 2006 he was selected as the SNP candidate for Moray for the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections , following the announcement that Margaret Ewing MSP would be retiring . He beat Margaret Ewings sister-in-law , former MP Annabelle Ewing in the selection . Ewings premature death triggered a by-election and Lochhead resigned his additional member seat in April 2006 in order to successfully contest the Moray by-election . He was elected on 28 April 2006 . This was the first time since the Second World War that an incumbent party had retained a by-election seat without losing votes or having their majority or share of the vote lowered . He was convener of the European and External Relations Committee of the Scottish Parliament 11 June 2003 – 14 September 2004 . In opposition he held the SNPs portfolios on Environment , Energy , Fishing and Rural Affairs in the Scottish Parliament . After the SNPs victory at the 2007 Scottish Parliament Election , it was announced on 16 May 2007 that Lochhead would be the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment , taking up the position the following day . The junior Ministerial position of Minister for the Environment was initially given to Michael Russell ( currently held by Aileen McLeod ) . In May 2007 , Lochhead started his tenure with promises to relentlessly pursue the Scottish fishing interests on behalf of fishermen and their communities . Lochhead was re-elected at the 2011 election with a further increased majority of 10,944 . He announced his resignation as Environment Secretary , effective on 18 May 2016 , as Nicola Sturgeon put together her reshuffle to appoint the second Sturgeon government . On 31 August 2018 he was announced as Minister for Further Education , Higher Education and Science . He retained his seat at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election , with an increased majority , number of votes and percentage of votes cast . After the election , he was appointed as Minister for Just Transition , Employment and Fair Work in 2021 Personal life . Richard Lochhead is married to Fiona , and they have two children together . External links . - personal website - profile on SNP website