Minister for Rural Affairs

Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity
Incumbent Fergus Ewing MSP since 18 May 2016
Appointer	First Minister
Website	www.gov.scot

The Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity is a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet. The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for rural Scotland, Highlands Islands Enterprise, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, food and drink, crofting, transport and connectivity, including 100 per cent broadband. The Cabinet Secretary was assisted by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform until 2016, when that role was given its own Cabinet level post. The Cabinet Secretary is assisted by the Minister for Transport and the Islands.

The current Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity is Fergus Ewing, who was appointed in May 2016.

The Cabinet Secretary's responsibilities are rural Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, food and drink, crofting, transport and connectivity, including 100 per cent broadband.

The following public bodies report to the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity:

The position was created in 1999 as the Minister for Rural Affairs it was renamed as the Minister for Rural Development in 2000 and again in 2001 as the Minister for the Environment and Rural Development. Following the 2007 election, the position of Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment was created, becoming the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Food and Environment in a November 2014 reshuffle. Following the 2016 election, the position is the "Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity".