Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands


The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands is a member of the Scottish Government who works reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy. As a Junior Minister the post holder is not a member of the Scottish Government Cabinet.
Responsibilities include:
From the advent of devolution in 1999 the ministerial portfolios of transport and infrastructure were combined with Environment to form the Minister for Transport and the Environment. From 2000 to 2001, in the government of First Minister Henry McLeish, the environment brief was removed and replaced with planning and the officeholder was styled the Minister for Transport and Planning. The government of First Minister Jack McConnell, from November 2001 to May 2003, combined the transport, planning and infrastructure briefs with economic affairs and further education, headed by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning.
The 2nd McConnell government from 2003, created a cabinet position for transport and infrastructure - the officeholder being titled the Minister for Transport. Following a government reshuffle in 2005, the position was renamed Minister for Transport and Telecommunications.
The government of First Minister Alex Salmond, elected after the May 2007 Scottish general election, reduced the size of the Scottish Cabinet. Overall responsibility for transport, infrastructure, planning and climate change, came under the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, however direct responsibility was vested in the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, a junior ministerial position within the Scottish Government. In 2010, Climate Change functions were transferred to the junior Environment Minister, with the portfolio becoming Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. After the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the transport function was given to Alex Neil MSP, as Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment.

List of office holders

The current Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands is Paul Wheelhouse.

Minister for Transport and the Environment

!colspan="2"|Name
!width=75|Portrait
!Entered Office
!Left Office
!Party
!First Minister

Minister for Transport and Planning

Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning

Minister for Transport and Telecommunications

Minister for Transport

Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure

Minister for Housing and Transport

Minister for Transport and Veterans

Minister for Transport and Islands

Minister for Transport and the Islands

Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands