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The Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet. The post was retitled in May 2016 after the appointment of the Scottish National Party minority administration and the Minister reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, who has overall responsibility for the portfolio, and is a member of cabinet.
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The Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy has specific responsibility for business and industry in Scotland, including the economic development agencies of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Other responsibilities include trade and inward investment, corporate social responsibility, the voluntary sector and the social economy. Ministerial responsibilities also include Community business and corporate development, European Structural Funds and energy, including renewable energy.
List of office holders
The current Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy is Paul Wheelhouse MSP.
History
From 1999 to 2007, enterprise and energy were the responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning. The Second McConnell government from 2003 to 2007 instituted Tourism as a portfolio, combined with Culture and Sport, as the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport. The Salmond government, elected following the Scottish Parliament election, 2007 created the junior post of Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism by combining the roles. In November 2014 his post became the Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism, as part of the first Sturgeon government. The post was retitled as Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy as part of the second Sturgeon government.