Shirley-Anne Somerville | |||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 29 March 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Humza Yousaf John Swinney | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Shona Robison | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 20 May 2021 – 29 March 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | John Swinney | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jenny Gilruth | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 26 June 2018 – 20 May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Jeane Freeman | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Shona Robison (Social Justice, Housing and Local Government) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science | |||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 18 May 2016 – 26 June 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Alasdair Allan | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Richard Lochhead | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 September 1974 Cardenden, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Scottish National Party | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence(s) | North Queensferry, Fife, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Queen Margaret University University of Strathclyde University of Stirling | ||||||||||||||||||||
Shirley-Anne Somerville (born 2 September 1974) is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice in the devolved Scottish government since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Dunfermline since 2016, having previously served as an additional member for the Lothians region from 2007 to 2011.
Born in Kirkcaldy, Somerville attended the University of Strathclyde, and later the University of Stirling, earning a BA (Hons) in Economics and Politics, and a Diploma in Housing studies respectively. After graduating, she worked as a Policy and Public Affairs Officer, and in 2006 she attended Queen Margaret University.[1] In the 2007 Scottish election, she was an SNP candidate for the Edinburgh Central constituency, but failed to win the seat, coming third. Following the resignation of Stefan Tymkewycz, Somerville succeeded him as the MSP for the Lothian region. She lost her seat in the 2011 election and in 2012 was announced as a director of Yes Scotland. After losing the 2013 Dunfermline by-election, she stood down as director of communities.
In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Somerville was elected to serve as the MSP for the Dunfermline constituency. She served as Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science from 2016 to 2018, before being appointed to the Scottish Cabinet as Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People in Nicola Sturgeon's 2018 cabinet reshuffle. Somerville was re-elected to the Scottish Parliament in the 2021 election, and in Sturgeon's third government, she was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.[2] Following her appointment, she announced that the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Education Scotland would be reformed, following widespread criticism.[3]
- ^ "Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP - gov.scot". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- ^ "Nicola Sturgeon appoints new health and education secretaries". BBC News. 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021.
- ^ Holden, John-Paul (3 June 2021). "SQA and Education Scotland to be reformed". The Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2021.