Minister for Employment and Investment

Minister for Employment and Investment
Minister for Employment and Investment
Scottish Gaelic: Ministear airson Cosnaidh agus Tasgaidh
	Incumbent; Tom Arthur; since 8 May 2024
Style	Minister ; (within parliament) ; Employment and Investment Minister ; (informal) ; Scottish Employment and Investment Minister ; (outwith Scotland)
Member of	Scottish Parliament; Scottish Government;
Reports to	Scottish Parliament
Seat	Edinburgh
Appointer	First Minister
Inaugural holder	Annabelle Ewing ; Minister for Youth and Women's Employment
Formation	12 November 2014
Salary	£106,185 per annum (2024); (including £72,196 MSP salary)
Website	www.gov.scot

The Minister for Employment and Investment, commonly referred to as the Employment Minister is a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet. The incumbent reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic.

History[edit]

The post of Minister for Youth and Women's Employment within the Scottish Government was recreated on 21 November 2014, but had existed in the very recent past (until April 2014) under a different title. The post of Minister for Employability and Training was abolished as part of the cabinet reshuffle in June 2018. The post was reinstated for the Swinney government in 2024 under Minister for Employment and Investment to assist the newly appointed Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes.

The Junior Ministerial post of Minister for Youth Employment was created on 7 December 2011 following the recommendations of the Smith Group.^[2] From April 2014, this was promoted to a Cabinet Secretary position, as Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women's Employment. The November 2014 Cabinet reshuffle saw the Cabinet Secretary position changed to Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training. In May 2016, Nicola Sturgeon retitled the post to Minister for Employability and Training.

List of office holders[edit]

Name		Portrait	Entered Office	Left Office	Party	First Minister
Minister for Youth and Women's Employment[edit]
	Annabelle Ewing		21 November 2014	18 May 2016	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Minister for Employability and Training[edit]
Name		Portrait	Entered Office	Left Office	Party	First Minister
	Jamie Hepburn		18 May 2016	27 June 2018	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work[edit]
Name		Portrait	Entered Office	Left Office	Party	First Minister
	Richard Lochhead		20 May 2021	29 March 2023	Scottish National Party	Nicola Sturgeon
Minister for Employment and Investment[edit]
Name		Portrait	Entered Office	Left Office	Party	First Minister
	Tom Arthur		8 May 2024	Incumbent	Scottish National Party	John Swinney