The Deputy First Minister of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear na h-Alba; Scots: Heid Meinister Depute o Scotland) is the second highest ranking minister of the Government of Scotland, behind the First Minister of Scotland. The post-holder is appointed by the First Minister, and deputises for the First Minister during a period of absence or whilst they are out-with Scotland undertaking overseas visits. During any period of the First Ministers absence, the DFM will be expected to answer to the Scottish Parliament on behalf of the First Minister at First Minister's Questions.

Quick Facts Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Member of ...

Deputy First Minister of Scotland
Scottish Gaelic: Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear na h-Alba Scots: Heid Meinister Depute o Scotland
Incumbent Shona Robison since 29 March 2023
Scottish Government Scottish Cabinet Scottish Parliament
Member of	Scottish Parliament Scottish Cabinet
Reports to	Scottish Parliament
Seat	St Andrew's House, Edinburgh
Appointer	First Minister of Scotland
Term length	The Deputy First Minister is appointed by the First Minister. No term limits are imposed on the office.
Inaugural holder	Jim Wallace
Formation	19 May 1999
Salary	£112,919 annually (including £64,470 MSP salary)
Website	www.gov.scot

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Shona Robison of the Scottish National Party (SNP) is the current DFM, she was appointed by First Minister Humza Yousaf on the 28 March 2023. As well as serving as the DFM, Robison also holds the position of Cabinet Secretary for Finance within the Scottish cabinet.

The post is not recognised in statute (in comparison with the post of First Minister which is established by the Scotland Act 1998), and its holder is simply an ordinary member of the Scottish Government. The post has nonetheless existed since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government in 1999. When one party governs alone, the Deputy First Minister is a senior member of the governing party, sometimes the party's deputy leader as with Nicola Sturgeon when she was SNP depute leader though at present this is not the case with the current SNP depute leader Keith Brown. When the government is formed by a coalition, the Deputy First Minister is usually the leader of the minority partner.

The Deputy First Minister, within the Scottish Government, has direct responsibility and control over the strategy of the Scottish Government, delivery and outcomes of ministerial portfolios, resilience, as well as cross-government co-ordination of public service reform.^[1] Alongside the responsibilities of the post-holders functions as Deputy First Minister, the post holder is also required to have direct responsibility for a cabinet secretary post. The current Deputy First Minister, Shona Robinson, is also Cabinet Secretary for Finance.

The Additional Member System used to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament makes it difficult for a single party to have an absolute majority. Between 1999 and 2007, the Scottish Executive was formed by a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition, with the leader of Scottish Labour serving as First Minister and the leader of the Scottish Lib Dems serving as Deputy First Minister.

Although the Scottish National Party (SNP) formed a single party minority administration following the 2007 election, the post was not abolished despite there being no need to recognise the status of a second party leader, instead being given to the SNP's depute leader, Nicola Sturgeon.^[2] When Sturgeon became First Minister, the party's depute leader, Stewart Hosie, was serving in the Parliament of the United Kingdom and did not have a seat in the Scottish Parliament. The Deputy First Minister's post thus went to John Swinney.

The post holder of the Deputy First Minister of Scotland is solely responsible for the following areas within the Scottish Government (as of April 2024):^[1]

• Bute House Agreement
• government strategy
• inter-governmental relations
• responsibility for cross-government delivery and outcomes
• public service reform, including digital
• National Performance Framework
• historical abuse inquiry
• redress
• Covid–19 inquiries
• Sheku Bayoh public inquiry
• efficient government
• civil service operations and transformation, including:
• the Scottish Government’s estate strategy
• getting to net zero and hybrid working
• corporate service transformation, including budgets, workforce strategy, technology and risk
• cross government co-ordination of infrastructure (policy, investment, and commission)
• Scottish Futures Trust

Shona Robison, appointed Deputy First Minister under Humza Yousaf in March 2023, also serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance. Alongside her responsibilities as Deputy First Minister, Robison is also responsible for the delivery of the Scottish budget, as well as "budgetary monitoring and reporting (including Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)), fiscal policy and taxation (including income tax), exchequer and the public finances, public sector pay, the Scottish Fiscal Commission, fiscal framework review, local government finance and public sector productivity".^[1]

• Under-Secretary of State for Scotland