Secretary of State for Scotland

Secretary of State for Scotland
Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba Scots: Secretar o State fir Scotland
Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government in Scotland
Incumbent Ian Murray since 5 July 2024
Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland
Style	Scottish Secretary (informal) The Right Honourable (within the UK and Commonwealth)
Type	Minister of the Crown
Status	Secretary of State
Member of	Cabinet Privy Council
Reports to	The Prime Minister
Seat	Westminster
Nominator	The Prime Minister
Appointer	The Monarch (on the advice of the Prime Minister)
Term length	At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation	1 May 1707 (as Secretary of State for Scotland) 17 August 1885 (as Secretary for Scotland) 26 July 1926 : (as Secretary of State for Scotland)
Deputy	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Salary	£159,038 per annum (2022)[1] (including £86,584 MP salary)[2]
Website	Scotland Office

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The secretary of state for Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba; Scots: Secretar o State fir Scotland), also referred to as the Scottish secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Scotland Office. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The Secretary of State for Scotland serves as the custodian of the Scottish devolution settlement as outlined in the Scotland Act 1998, and represent Scottish interests within the UK Government as well as advocate for UK Government policies in Scotland. The secretary of state for Scotland is additionally responsible for partnership between the UK Government and the Scottish Government, as well as relations between the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the Scottish Parliament.^[3]

Much of the secretary of state for Scotland's responsibility transferred to the office of the first minister of Scotland upon the establishment of a new Scottish Executive, since renamed the Scottish Government, and a new devolved Scottish Parliament in 1999 following the Scotland Act 1998. ^[4]

The office holder works alongside the other Scotland Office ministers. The secretary of state for Scotland is supported by their deputy, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for Scotland. The incumbent is Ian Murray, following his appointment by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in July 2024. The corresponding shadow minister is the shadow secretary of state for Scotland.