Former Scottish Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has been appointed Deputy First Minister as John Swinney unveiled a new Cabinet to focus on “people’s priorities”.

Ms Gilruth will step into the role last occupied by Kate Forbes who did not seek re-election to the Scottish parliament. She will also take on Finance and Local Government and therefore deliver the Scottish Budget.

In a new Cabinet slimmed down from 12 to nine, former SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn will take up the Economy, Tourism and Transport brief.

Ivan McKee is appointed the first ever Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform to work across government, ensuring public services are “responsive to the needs of the people of Scotland”.

The First Minister said his new team would lead the country through the cost of living crisis, ensuring easier access to the NHS and delivering a fresh start with independence. Responsibility for independence and the constitution will now sit directly with the First Minister.

The Cabinet is dominated by women with Angela Constance at Health and Care, Gillian Martin (Climate Action and Rural Affairs), Máiri McAllan (Education, Culture and Gaelic), Shirley-Anne Somerville (Social Justice and Housing). Neil Gray swaps health for Justice.

Mr Swinney said: “This will be a Scottish Government working for Scotland. As a leaner, more agile government, our full focus will be on delivering on the things that matter most to the people of Scotland, including supporting people with the cost of living crisis, ensuring easier access to the NHS and delivering a fresh start with independence.

Comment: Flynn is no Forbes, but he is a fighter

“This new team will hit the ground running, delivering major progress on our priorities within the first 100 days, before continuing to deliver on the emphatic mandate given to us by the people of Scotland.

“This team of Cabinet Secretaries will bring experience, drive and a determination to deliver for Scotland – and this government will work harder than ever to repay the trust that people have placed in us.”

However, the pledge on “people’s priorities” is likely to prompt calls for Mr Swinney to drop his independence campaign, an issue that features low on the list of voters’ priorities.

Ms Gilruth described her appointment as Deputy First Minister as “the honour of my life”.

She added: “We are coming into government refreshed by the faith people have placed in us and determined to deliver on the job they have asked us to do – supporting people through the cost of living crisis, giving people easier access to the NHS and delivering a fresh start with independence.”

Brought up and educated in Fife, Ms Gilruth is a graduate of Glasgow University, where she studied Politics and Sociology, and of Strathclyde University where she studied for her Postgraduate in Secondary Education (Modern Studies).

Prior to being elected in 2016, she spent a decade in education, including as a head of department in a Fife secondary school.

Ms Gilruth was elected to represent the Mid Fife and Glenrothes Constituency at the 2016 election.

She was previously the Minister for Europe and International Development and Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development.

In January 2022 she was appointed Minister for Transport and a year later Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

Junior ministers

Mr Swinney completed his government with the following appointments:

Minister for Europe, External Affairs & Energy, Stephen Gethins

Minister for Parliamentary Business & Veterans, Jamie Hepburn

Minister for Public Finance, Hannah Mary Goodlad

Minister for Victims & Community Safety, Kirsten Oswald

Minister for Community Care, Alison Thewliss

Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol & Drugs, Maree Todd

Minister for Agriculture, Marine & the Islands, Jim Fairlie

Minister for Children, Young People, & The Promise, Siobhian Brown

Minister for Innovation, Technology & Tertiary Education, Ben Macpherson

Minister for Equalities & International Development, Simita Kumar

Minister for Business & Fair Work, Tom Arthur

Comment: Flynn is no Forbes, but he is a fighter