Secretary of State for Scotland

Scotland

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Scotland

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The Secretary of State for Scotland (Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief minister in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland, at the head of the Scotland Office (formerly The Scottish Office). The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was abolished in 1746, following the Jacobite rebellion. Scottish affairs thereafter were managed by the Lord Advocate until 1827, when responsibility passed to the Home Office.

In 1885 the post of Secretary for Scotland was re-created, with the incumbent usually (though not always) in the Cabinet. In 1926 this post was upgraded to a full Secretary of State appointment.

The 1999 Scottish devolution has meant The Scottish Office's powers were divided, with most transferred to the new Scottish Executive or to other UK Government Departments, leaving only limited role for the new Scotland Office. Consequently the role of Secretary of State for Scotland has been diminished. The current incumbent, Des Browne holds the post whilst simultaneously (and separately) being Secretary of State for Defence.

Secretary of State in Scotland after the Union

• John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar (1705 - February 3, 1709)

Secretaries of State for Scotland 1707-1746

• James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry (February 3, 1709 - July 6, 1711) (Died in office)
• John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar (September 30, 1713 - September 24, 1714)
• James Graham, 1st Duke of Montrose (September 24, 1714 - August 1715) (Resigned)
• John Ker, 1st Duke of Roxburghe (December 13, 1716 - August 1725) (Resigned)
• Office thereafter vacant. One reference book claims Charles Douglas, 2nd Earl of Selkirk had this office from 1731 but there is no other authority for this claim.
• John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale (February 16, 1742 - January 3, 1746) (Resigned)
• Office thereafter vacant

Secretaries for Scotland

• Duke of Richmond and Gordon (August 17, 1885 - January 28, 1886)
• George Otto Trevelyan (February 8, 1886 - March, 1886) (Resigned)
• Earl of Dalhousie (April 5, 1886 - July 20, 1886)
• Arthur Balfour (August 5, 1886 - March 11, 1887)
• Marquess of Lothian (March 11, 1887 - August 11, 1892)
• George Otto Trevelyan (August 18, 1892 - June 21, 1895)
• Lord Balfour of Burleigh (June 29, 1895 - October 9, 1903) (Resigned)
• Andrew Murray (October 9, 1903 - February 2, 1905)
• Marquess of Linlithgow (February 2, 1905 - December 4, 1905)
• John Sinclair (1st Baron Pentland 1909) (December 10, 1905 - February 13, 1912)
• Thomas McKinnon Wood (February 13, 1912 - July 9, 1916)
• Harold Tennant (July 9, 1916 - December 5, 1916)
• Robert Munro (December 10, 1916 - October 19, 1922)
• Viscount Novar (October 24, 1922 - January 22, 1924)
• William Adamson (January 22, 1924 - November 3, 1924)
• Sir John Gilmour (November 6, 1924 - July 26, 1926)

Secretaries of State for Scotland

• Sir John Gilmour (July 15, 1926 - June 4 1929)
• William Adamson (June 7, 1929 - August 24, 1931)
• Sir Archibald Sinclair (August 25, 1931 - September 28, 1932) (Resigned)
• Sir Godfrey Collins (September 28, 1932 - October 29, 1936)
• Walter Elliot (October 29, 1936 - May 16, 1938)
• John Colville (May 6, 1938 - May 10, 1940)
• Ernest Brown (May 14, 1940 - February 8, 1941)
• Thomas Johnston (February 8, 1941 - May 23, 1945)
• Harry Primrose, 6th Earl of Rosebery (May 25, 1945 - July 26, 1945)
• Joseph Westwood (August 3, 1945 - October 7, 1947)
• Arthur Woodburn (October 7, 1947 - February 28, 1950)
• Hector McNeil (February 28, 1950 - October 26, 1951)
• James Stuart (October 30, 1951 - January 13, 1957)
• John Maclay (January 13, 1957 - July 13, 1962)
• Michael Noble (July 13, 1962 - October 16, 1964)
• William Ross (October 18, 1964 - June 19, 1970)
• Gordon Campbell (June 20, 1970 - March 4, 1974)
• William Ross (March 5, 1974 - April 8, 1976)
• Bruce Millan (April 8, 1976 - May 4, 1979)
• George Younger (May 5, 1979 - January 11, 1986)
• Malcolm Rifkind (January 11, 1986 - November 28, 1990)
• Ian Lang (November 28, 1990 - July 5, 1995)
• Michael Forsyth (July 5, 1995 - May 2, 1997)
• Donald Dewar (May 3, 1997 - May 17, 1999)
• John Reid (May 17, 1999 - January 25, 2001)
• Helen Liddell (January 25, 2001 - June 13, 2003)
• Alistair Darling (June 13, 2003- 5 May 2006)
• Douglas Alexander (5 May 2006-June 27, 2007)
• Des Browne (June 28, 2007 - )

References

Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)

See also

• Secretary of State, Scotland
• List of British politicians by wealth at death

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