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Secretary of State for Scotland
Incumbent: Jim Murphy MP
Style:	The Right Honourable
Appointed by:	Gordon Brown as Prime Minister
First :	James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry
Formation:	(3 February 1709)

Scotland

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

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The Secretary of State for Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba) is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office (formerly the Scottish Office), a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns,^{[citation needed]} 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 Scottish Executive or to other UK Government departments, leaving only a limited role for the Scotland Office. Consequently the role of Secretary of State for Scotland has been diminished. The previous Scottish Secretary, Des Browne held the post whilst simultaneously (and separately) being Secretary of State for Defence. On 3 October 2008, Des Browne resigned from both cabinet positions and was replaced as Secretary of State for Scotland by Jim Murphy.

Secretaries of State for Scotland 1707-1746

John Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar had served as Secretary of State of an independent Scotland since 1705. Following the Acts of Union 1707, he remained in office.

Name	Portrait	Took office	Left office
John Erskine Earl of Mar		(since 1705) 1 May 1707	3 February 1709
James Douglas Duke of Queensberry		3 February 1709	6 July 1711 (died)
John Erskine Earl of Mar		30 September 1713	24 September 1714
James Graham Duke of Montrose		24 September 1714	August 1715 (resigned)
John Ker Duke of Roxburghe		13 December 1716	August 1725 (resigned)
Office thereafter vacant. One reference book claims that Charles Douglas, 2nd Earl of Selkirk held this office from 1731, but there is no other authority for this claim.
John Hay Marquess of Tweeddale		16 February 1742	3 January 1746 (resigned)

Office thereafter vacant.

Secretaries for Scotland 1885-1926

All Secretaries for Scotland also held the post of Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland, ex officio.

Name		Portrait	Took office	Left office	Political Party
	Charles Gordon-Lennox Duke of Richmond and Gordon		17 August 1885	28 January 1886	Conservative
	George Otto Trevelyan		8 February 1886	March, 1886 (resigned)	Liberal
	John Ramsay Earl of Dalhousie		5 April 1886	20 July 1886	Liberal
	Arthur Balfour		5 August 1886	11 March 1887	Conservative
	Schomberg Kerr Marquess of Lothian		11 March 1887	11 August 1892	Unionist
	Sir George Otto Trevelyan, Bt		18 August 1892	21 June 1895	Liberal
	Alexander Bruce Lord Balfour of Burleigh		29 June 1895	9 October 1903 (resigned)	Unionist
	Andrew Murray		9 October 1903	2 February 1905	Conservative
	John Hope Marquess of Linlithgow		2 February 1905	4 December 1905	Conservative
	John Sinclair (Baron Pentland from 1909)		10 December 1905	13 February 1912	Liberal
	Thomas McKinnon Wood		13 February 1912	9 July 1916	Liberal
	Harold Tennant		9 July 1916	5 December 1916	Liberal
	Robert Munro		10 December 1916	19 October 1922	Liberal
	Robert Munro Ferguson Viscount Novar		24 October 1922	22 January 1924	none
	William Adamson		22 January 1924	3 November 1924	Labour
	Sir John Gilmour		6 November 1924	26 July 1926	Unionist

Secretaries of State for Scotland

The post of Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland was held ex officio by Secretaries of State for Scotland from 1926 to 1999. Secretaries of State for Scotland since Donald Dewar have not been Keepers of the Great Seal, that post now being held by the First Ministers of Scotland. In addition, the holder of the office of Secretary of State for Scotland from 13 June 2003 through to 3 October 2008 concurrently held another Cabinet post, leading to claims that the Scottish role was seen as a 'part-time' ministry.

Name		Portrait	Took office	Left office	Political Party
	Sir John Gilmour		15 July 1926	4 June 1929	Unionist
	William Adamson		7 June 1929	24 August 1931	Labour
	Sir Archibald Sinclair		25 August 1931	28 September 1932 (resigned)	Liberal
	Sir Godfrey Collins		28 September 1932	29 October 1936	National Liberal
	Walter Elliot		29 October 1936	16 May 1938	Unionist
	John Colville		6 May 1938	10 May 1940	Unionist
	Ernest Brown		14 May 1940	8 February 1941	National Liberal
	Thomas Johnston		8 February 1941	23 May 1945	Labour
	Harry Primrose Earl of Rosebery		25 May 1945	26 July 1945	National Liberal
	Joseph Westwood		3 August 1945	7 October 1947	Labour
	Arthur Woodburn		7 October 1947	28 February 1950	Labour
	Hector McNeil		28 February 1950	26 October 1951	Labour
	James Stuart		30 October 1951	13 January 1957	Unionist
	John Maclay		13 January 1957	13 July 1962	Unionist
	Michael Noble		13 July 1962	16 October 1964	Unionist
	William Ross		18 October 1964	19 June 1970	Labour
	Gordon Campbell		20 June 1970	4 March 1974	Conservative and Unionist
	William Ross		5 March 1974	8 April 1976	Labour
	Bruce Millan		8 April 1976	4 May 1979	Labour
	George Younger		5 May 1979	11 January 1986	Conservative and Unionist
	Malcolm Rifkind		11 January 1986	28 November 1990	Conservative and Unionist
	Ian Lang		28 November 1990	5 July 1995	Conservative and Unionist
	Michael Forsyth		5 July 1995	2 May 1997	Conservative and Unionist
	Donald Dewar		3 May 1997	17 May 1999 (became First Minister of Scotland)	Labour
	John Reid		17 May 1999	25 January 2001	Labour
	Helen Liddell		25 January 2001	13 June 2003	Labour
	Alistair Darling (also Secretary of State for Transport)		13 June 2003	5 May 2006	Labour
	Douglas Alexander (also Secretary of State for Transport)		5 May 2006	27 June 2007	Labour
	Des Browne (also Secretary of State for Defence)		28 June 2007	3 October 2008	Labour
	Jim Murphy		3 October 2008	incumbent	Labour

References

Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)

See also

• Secretary of State, Scotland

External links

• www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk - Official website of the Scotland Office

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