 the human expert is a thing that we will do our very best to retain in and for Scotland. Thank you that ends topical questions. The next item of business is a debate on motions number 11672 and 11673, in the name of the First Minister, on the appointment of Scottish ministers and junior Scottish ministers. Members should note that the question of this motion will be immediately a i'r ddafod gyda'r byw. I will invite the First Minister to move motions 11672 and 11673 to the appointment of Scottish ministers and junior Scottish ministers, and then invite party representatives to make a short contribution. Thereafter, I will ask the First Minister to reply. Members who wish to take part in the debate should press the requestbut now and I call on The First Minister, Michael Sturgeon, to speak to and move the motions in her name. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I rise to move the motions in my name. Firstly, that the Parliament agrees that Keith Brown, Rosanna Cunningham and Michael Matheson be appointed as Scottish ministers. Secondly, that the Parliament agrees that Annabelle Ewing, Marko Biadje, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt and Aileen McLeod be appointed as junior Scottish ministers. I would like, Presiding Officer, to first of all take the opportunity to thank both Kenny MacAskill and Mike Russell. They have both been outstanding Scottish ministers with strong records to be very proud of. They have ensured that this country is better educated, safer and more just than it was before they took up their posts. I am extremely grateful for all their efforts and I've got no doubt whatsoever that they will continue to play a significant role in moving this country forward. The Cabinet I am proposing today has 10 members, and I am very pleased to be able to say that half of those members are women. In Westminster, there are also five women in Cabinet, but that is in a Cabinet of 22. I'm very proud to lead a Cabinet that doesn't just talk about equality but lives up to the principle of equality. As far as I am aware, we are one of only three Cabinet in the industrialised world to have a 50-50 gender balance, a move that was hailed on Friday by the United Nations as setting an example for others to follow. I said in this chamber last week that I wanted women and girls to know that they could achieve anything if they worked hard enough. I hope that that is more proof of that. It should send a message to everyone in this country that gender equality is not just necessary, but if we set our minds to it, it is achievable in every single walk of life. The portfolio changes that I have made should also send another message this time about where this Government's priorities will lie. We will focus on ensuring that our economy and our finances are well supported and that we continue to invest for growth in infrastructure and in every sector of our economy. We will focus on ensuring that we have strong, high-quality and efficient public services and on building Scotland's international relationships, particularly with our partners in Europe and particularly so in light of a possible in-out referendum. We will focus on tackling inequality, on lifting people out of poverty, especially through good, well-paid work and on empowering communities. The ministers that I am proposing today will all play a key role in that work. Keith Brown has proven his ability to do challenging things and to do them well since he was appointed as a Minister for Transport and Veterans. We can see that through the creation of the Veterans Commissioner and the management of the fourth road bridge project currently on time and under budget. He has earned his promotion to Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities. Roseanna Cunningham has been an outstanding junior minister with key legislative achievements in two different portfolios. I have no doubt whatsoever that she will make an excellent Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training, and, of course, one of her priorities will be to see the living wage extended across both the private and the wider public sector. As Minister for Public Health, Michael Matheson has been determined to improve the wellbeing of the people of Scotland and to reduce health inequalities across our country. I know that he will work just as tirelessly as Cabinet Secretary for Justice and I have got no doubt he will do an excellent job. I am also proposing today five new junior ministers, Annabelle Ewing's determination to secure dignity and justice for all, as we can see through her work, for example, in issues such as hepatitis C compensation, will make her a tremendous Minister for Youth and Women's Employment. Marco Biagi has done excellent work both as the deputy convener of the Equal Opportunities Committee and also as a key contributor to the same-sex marriage bill that was passed by Parliament some months ago. I believe that he will bring that same commitment and determination to his new role as Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment. Jamie Hepburn has performed exceptionally as a member of the Finance Committee and also as deputy convener of the Welfare Reform Committee. I have no doubt he will do a tremendous job as Minister of Sport and Health Improvement, following on, of course, our successes this year, not least in hosting the Commonwealth Games and the Rider Cup. Maureen Watt is returning to Government, having previously held ministerial office as Minister for Schools and Skills. I am delighted that she will be returning as Minister for Public Health, the NHS and the wider health agenda has been and will continue to be a key priority for this Government. I know that Maureen Watt will make a significant contribution to that. I am nominating Aileen McLeod as Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform. Aileen's extensive knowledge of working in both Brussels and here at Holyrood I think makes her a perfect candidate to take on this role. I have to say that the inclusion of land reform, specifically in her title, should send a signal about the importance this Government attaches to moving forward with the important business of land reform. Those are the new ministers that I am putting forward for Parliament's approval today. I should also say, though, Presiding Officer, that although I am not subject to the approval of Parliament today, I am delighted to have appointed John Swinney as Deputy First Minister of Scotland in addition to his role as finance secretary, Shona Robison as health secretary, Angela Constance as education secretary, Alex Neil to take on the social justice portfolio, Fiona Hyslop remaining at culture, Europe and external affairs and Richard Lochhead remaining at rural fairs, food and the environment. All of those ministers have done excellent work in government and I have no doubt they will continue to do so. There are a number of junior ministers who are also remaining within government, some of them in their existing portfolios, some of them moving to new portfolios, but collectively, as a team, this is a Government now ready, willing and eager to take on the challenges that lie ahead. Finally, Presiding Officer, I think that it's important for me to stress that I am proposing each of those ministers absolutely, totally and completely on merit. Each and every one of the members of my Government is highly qualified with the values and the skills and the attributes that I believe this country needs. The Cabinet and the wider Government will ensure that we are able to tackle the challenges that we face and to work towards a fairer, more just and more prosperous Scotland. Just as importantly, this Government aims to reflect a country where gender equality isn't just an aspiration but also a reality that we put into practice each and every day. It gives me great pleasure to move again that the Parliament agrees that Keith Brown, Roseanna Cunningham and Michael Matheson be appointed as Scottish ministers and that Annabelle Ewing, Michael Biacchi, Jamie Hepburn, Maureen Watt and Aileen McLeod be appointed as junior Scottish ministers. Presiding Officer, can I first of all welcome the First Minister's new appointments? She has delivered a 50-50 gender balance for the Cabinet, something that we urged her to do and something that I very much welcome. I look forward to her in due course delivering 50-50 in a parliamentary party and indeed on every public board in Scotland. I note that the size of the Scottish Government has grown with two additional ministers, costing the public purse over £55,000 extra per year, but we will judge if it is a price worth paying based on whether her ministers are focused on delivering results. I am sure that that is something that she would agree with. It is customary, of course, to pay tribute to the outgoing cabinet secretaries, so let me start with Mike Russell. Can I ask, though, of Angela Constance, whether he has left his portrait that takes such a prominent position in his office or whether that has been removed? Mike Russell is indeed a man of many talents. His musings can be found on the bookshelves of many a member of this chamber. Neil Findlay tells me that he got his copy of Grasping the Thistle for £16 off Ewing. Murdo Fraser thought at the time that he was being slightly profligate with his money. In it, you will indeed find some radical thinking. He suggested privatising the NHS, introducing vouchers in education, abolishing the corporation tax. I am not sure that the First Minister finds favour with many of those ideas, so on that basis, can I plead with Mike Russell, urge him now that he has a bit of spare time to write Grasping the Thistle 2? On a serious note, as a neighbouring MSP, I have, on occasion, made common cause with him on issues of importance, and I look forward to continuing to work with him in the future. Then we turn to Kenny MacAskill. Kenny MacAskill may not be on the Christmas card list of many football fans, but his decision to lift the ban on alcohol at internationals at Murrayfield made him the toast of rugby fans across all of the four nations. I know that one member of the Labour benches will miss him terribly as Justice Secretary, and that is Kezia Dugdale. Shefa One does not want him spending more time in his constituency. In all seriousness, I thank Mike Russell and Kenny MacAskill on their public service and wish them both well for the future. I also advise them not to despair as Maureen Mott must offer them hope as she makes a comeback to ministerial office. Let me now turn to the new appointments. I congratulate all of the members on their new appointments. Whilst I may challenge much of what they do in the Scottish Government, I never doubt the commitment of those who serve in it. It is a commitment that will be needed as they have a tough task ahead. When things go wrong, we will challenge them, but when things go right and they get them right, we will support them in their endeavour. Let me start with Keith Brown. When Keith Brown took over from Stuart Stevenson, he famously said that civil servants would be the ones that were sacked if there was any bad news about the weather. All I can observe is that we have had mild winters ever since. He is now replaced as transport minister by Derek Mackay, who will become extremely popular with members as we lobby for our own local road projects. I just mentioned the A82 on that basis, but I had strongly tipped Derek Mackay for a cabinet position, which probably did not help him at all. I am very sorry, Derek, for having done so. I also welcome Roseanna Cunningham as a cabinet secretary, joined by the latest member of the Ewing dynasty, Annabelle. It is interesting to see two lawyers in the fair work skills and training portfolio. Yet at justice, we have an occupational therapist and an economist. Michael Matheson has, of course, had prior experience of the justice portfolio as a minister, and I look forward to him continuing in that. He will, of course, recall that I have praised him shamelessly in order to get him to adopt particular policy positions, and I am sure that, unlike Derek Mackay, that has actually helped him to secure his promotion to the Scottish Cabinet. Let me mention Jamie Hepburn, because, like Annabelle Ewing, Jamie was a member of the welfare reform committee, again tipped for promotion once he had abandoned his love of the valedunican jumper. What can I say about Marco Biagi, other than that he makes me feel old? I remember going to Hermitage academy in Helensborough as a newly elected shining MSP, and there he was as a pupil, sitting in the back row, even then, as he does now, growling at me. All that has really changed in all this time is where he is sitting. I do wish him well, and I will watch his progress with great interest. Let me make mention of two of the women who have been handed very tough jobs in this Cabinet that the First Minister referenced in her closing remarks. Shona Robison has been left with a very full entry by a predecessor, Alex Neil, starting with a seed of statement this afternoon. I welcome her discussion with the families yesterday, and I hope that that is the way that she intends to continue in her portfolio. However, let me make particular mention of Angela Constance, who is clearly the Cabinet's trendsetter. She has been left with an equally tough job by Mike Russell. She will be judged by the quality of Scottish education, which we surely all agree needs improvement. Famous for her bambi heels, I met her on Sunday, disappearing into a well-known shoe shop, but enough said about that. It's a wise move, because she will need to be very sure-footed in her new job. Presiding officer, it just remains for me to wish her, and indeed all of the new appointments, the very best in their new roles. Jackson Carlaw I read at the weekend that yesism is now a new emerging religion, which gives a whole new context to ministerial appointments, does it not? Our First Minister, some have referred to her already as Margaret without the humour, which I do not think is altogether the compliment that it may at first sound. The previous most senior woman in politics in Scotland was Helen Liddle, who was known as Stalin's granny. Perhaps Stalin's nieces are the sobrike the First Minister will look to. I hope, though, that she will hope for slightly more than the gushing acolyte who at the weekend described her as the Beyoncé of Scottish politics. I want to acknowledge immediately the service of both Kenny MacAskill and Mike Russell. We've times fundamentally disagreed with them, but in both cases I've always believed, particularly the case of Mr MacAskill, that the views and decisions that he came to were motivated by a sincerity in his part that the decisions that he took were correct, and I respect that even while I disagreed with it at the time. More surprising perhaps is that Mr Neil finds himself still in the cabinet. After all, he must have realised that there would be consequences to having briefed the media continually for the last two years that he'd been tremendously successful clearing up the mess left by his predecessor. Nonetheless, there he still sits. I obviously want to thank, congratulate, Shona Robison and Angela Constance. Shona Robison, I've shadowed previously and I know she comes now with a tremendous amount of experience to health, and I hope she will take forward the agenda that Alec Neil was pursuing of seeking to find a cross-party consensus to what will be the enormously difficult challenges we've debated many times in the chamber. She and Angela Constance, I think, will be allowed to bring joined up government to bear, because hopefully we will see an emerging new curriculum subject of the dangerous to public health of wearing totally inappropriate footwear, but we wait to see. I'm delighted by Keith Brown's appointment. I've found him personally to be someone who is very courteous and willing to assist and also to listen carefully. I am tremendously impressed that he's managed not to be put off by loony tune commands, whispered off stage, if I can put it that way. However, Mr Brown and Ms Constance, of course, stood in this election and therefore reaped the rewards. Mr Brown therefore can look at Mr MacKay and Mr Yousaf in the face and say, who dares wins, boys? Those two, after all, did have their famous canteen granita-like pact, where they thought they would sit this election out in the expectation that the rewards would be theirs. My advice to them is to start plotting now, boys. It's only 18 months till your next chance comes around. Michael Matheson has been a very diligent and, I think, straightforward politician. I'm delighted to see him get his promotion. Rosanna Cunningham has had the answer to the question that has been put by the Beatles in so many times, just in the nick of time. She now knows, will you still need me, will you still feed me when I'm 64? Annabelle Ewing and Aileen McLeod have, how shall I put this, worked very hard for their appointments, and I congratulate them. There are two master strokes of political diplomacy in this reshuffle that I congratulate the First Minister on. The first is to disintermourine what as a former minister, because this sends a signal to all those ex-ministers sitting in the backbenches, you can live in hope. There is a chance. Stay loyal and I may be kind next time around. Slim, trim, new health guru Jamie Hepburn also gives hope to that backbench group known as the Lost Causes. You know who you are, who can also now see that there still is that chance that your time might come. Of course, nearly every woman in the SNP has been given a chance in government. I wondered over the weekend what Christine Grahame, Joan McAlpine, Christina McKelvie and Sandra White might have said are done. I was quite bewildered until the First Minister's official spokesman issued a qualifying release telling us why Sandra wasn't in the government. I have to say that I won't repeat the language, Presiding Officer. You and I are dimwyr and shy in retiring personalities and certainly Mr McIntosh and I have never heard language that might be appropriate in Bute House in white craigs or newton merns like that. Nor has there been any place for Jim E.D. or for Mark McDonald or Dennis Robertson, the latter I have to say I'm especially sorry about, as when Nicola Sturgeon pursues her dog whistle policies, she would at least have got one bark of approval. Marko Beagie, sincere and thoughtful as an MSP, I hope sincere and thoughtful as a minister. The last time I did this, the First Minister was kind enough to say as then deputy that I had made no substantive point whatsoever, which I freely admit is my remit today. Tomorrow I think is when we see the government's programme and when we'll be able to respond to the substance of it. I do note that in 2007 there were five cabinet ministers and 10 junior ministers. There are now nine and 13. But as Jackie Baillie said, we want to see if they are worth it and the next few months will prove whether that is the case or not. May I finally offer our unreserved congratulations to Mr Swinney as Deputy First Minister? He is a certain SNP loyalist to his boots but across all party and I think wider Scotland he's regarded as a decent committed and understated man. His personal efforts on behalf of MS, which I and others have been happy to support, I think are testament to that and we certainly wish him well. May I conclude with this final observation? Gender balance has been mentioned several times this afternoon and it is absolutely true, Presiding Officer, in a backhanded compliment to that huge Hollywood blockbuster, Three Men and a Little Lady. This Parliament is now fronted by Three Ladies and a Little Willie Rennie. On that note, Presiding Officer, I wish the new ministerial team well in their endeavours. Mr Rennie, would you like to follow that? Alison McInnes, halfway through that, leaned over and said, don't worry Willie, nobody is quite like Jackson Carlaw. Tremendous, Jackson. It has to be commended today for that the First Minister has secured gender balance in her ministerial team. I think the fact that it has been recognised internationally is something that I think everybody in this chamber should be proud of. But, even more importantly than that, it will send a powerful message, not just to the young girls, not just to the young women, aspiring young women right across Scotland and in fact, further afield as well. It will also send a message to men and young boys that they should treat women equally as them and equally in this Parliament as well as the rest of Scotland. I also hope that that becomes the norm rather than the exception. I hope that we don't, in future ministerial appointments, remark on the fact that we have achieved gender equality. I hope that it just becomes accepted as something that should always be the case. I am sure that all the ministerial team has been tasked with working constructively in the spirit of the First Minister's remarks last week. If so, they will find willing participants among the Liberal Democrats and others in the chamber. I am reluctant to add a discordant note, but we need an explanation as to why the ministerial team has grown to 23. John Swinney sitting next to the First Minister said in 2003 that he wanted a team of 15 because the Government, any bigger than that, was bloated. We have had a 50 per cent increase from that time and we need an explanation. I think that it is not the most significant part of today, but we need to understand as the rationale as to why that has happened. Despite my questions about that, I congratulate the team, the team that has been appointed. I know that Alison McInnes is looking forward to working with the justice team on trying to change some of the justice policy, perhaps reining back on stop and search, the armed officers' corroboration and also bringing democracy back into her police. Jim Hume wants to discuss the pressures in her hospitals and also the need for equal status for mental health alongside physical health. He is also keen to talk about his private bill, his member's bill on smoking in cars with children. Tavish Scott will be pressing the case for transport for the Highlands and Islands in the north-east, but also for the roll-out of the common agricultural policy. I want to see how Liam McArthur is going to get on with the new education team. It has been a bit of a shaky start, but I am sure that he has the talent to rise to the challenge. The expansion of nursery education, college places, curriculum for excellence and university funding are all big issues that need to be discussed and we need to work together to achieve those great things. There will be many challenges in the remaining period of this Parliament, but the First Minister knows that we will work with her where we agree and advise her where we don't. That will be an exciting and proud day for those entering government for the first time. For those with new portfolios, it will present a fresh challenge and for those who have kept their old jobs, there may be a secret sigh of relief. For all of them, this is an important day. The burden may be great. At times, it may be significant, but the heavy and great opportunity that we have before us to serve your country is a wonderful one, and I am sure that many other people in this chamber would love to share. In that spirit, I wish you all well. I add my congratulations to those who have been promoted, appointed or re-appointed to the Scottish Government. My thanks also to Jackson Carlaw for his usual bravura performance on these events. I am very grateful that he decided to leave me out of the end of his speech. Wilde says that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. I think that was the exception to the rule. The outgoing ministers as well, cabinet secretary, who deserve our commiserations, this is a moment to mention something positive in respect of each and Mr Russell's commitment to the principle of keeping higher education free of fees in Scotland is something that I am sure remains important to the Scottish Government, but he was insistent throughout his term in office on that principle. As for Mr MacAskill, I am grateful for the contribution that he made to supporting my own member's bell a few years back on hate crime. He gave a clear commitment to supporting that legislation, including the support of his officials. I would like to put on record my gratitude for his support in that. There is only time to mention a few of the individual appointments. I would like to single out Marko Biagi in particular, first of all, as the First Minister said, for his commitment on the equal marriage campaign, both inside and outside of Parliament. I believe that the First Minister and I diaries permitting are going to be co-witnesses to some mutual friends at the end of December. Way before that, Marko Biagi and I had our own confetti moment. It is the showering confetti over a symbolic same-sex marriage that took place as part of the campaign. That is a moment that I will remember. I will also miss him, as will my colleague Alison Johnson, on the energy economy and tourism committee. Marko Biagi has earned far more respect than I have amongst the radical vegan wing of my own party, and the supply of vegan scons will be diminished to zero, I should imagine, on the EET committee once he has moved on. I hope that the catering instruction has been conveyed to St Andrew's House forum. As for the role that he takes on, working with Alex Neil, he will have responsibility for a number of important issues. The need to address the on-going long-term challenges in reform of council funding. The council finance issue is something that cannot be ducked for much longer, as well as the need to reinvigrate our local democracy and local community empowerment. Those will be issues that he has an important contribution to make. Between the two of them, he will also have responsibility for planning policies and planning decisions. In particular, I would highlight the forthcoming decision on the first unconventional gas decision that has been called in by Scottish ministers, which many of us in Scotland, including constituents of many SNP-backed benches, have shared deep concerns about this industry. Many of us will consider that a test case. I would like to mention briefly Mr Wheelhouse, who is moving on to other responsibilities. He has done some credit, I think, for his role in the climate change brief credit, but, as usual from me, with caveats. I think that it is clear that he did understand the argument on unburnable carbon, the argument that we cannot simply regard all fossil fuel resources as economic assets, because if we burn them all, we will do far more harm to the economy than by anything else. However, the fact remains that the Scottish Government has not yet managed to meet any of its climate change targets. As Arlene McLeod takes on that responsibility, alongside land reform, which I am glad that the First Minister picked out in the job title as something that remains an unfinished task. As Arlene takes on the responsibility for climate change, I do hope that she has taken that on in the full understanding that the first three missed targets were the easy ones. The next annual target, which is due to be reported on, represents a single-year cut that is many times greater than the cumulative cut that is supposed to have been achieved already. That is when it starts to get harm, and she is going to have to advocate vociferously with the rest of the Scottish Government for the policy changes that are necessary to achieve those targets. I hope that she will be willing to work with Derek Mackay in transport, for example. Unlike Jackie Baillie, I would like to reassure Derek Mackay that not all of us will be lobbying him to approve new road building projects. In fact, many of us will be hoping that he is finally able—that he is the first transport minister in a Scottish administration—to have a sustainable transport policy. That is one of the things that will be crucial if Arlene McLeod is to be successful in ensuring that the Scottish Government meets its climate change commitments. I congratulate once again and wish well all of the ministers who will be serving in the Scottish Government. I now call the First Minister to reply. Thank you to everybody for their contributions. Jackie Baillie managed to say almost entirely positive in her contribution, which shows that there is a first time for absolutely everything. I now eagerly anticipate, as promised, the first time that she praises the work of Government. I sympathise with the comments that Jackie Baillie made about Marco Biagio making her feel old. I had exactly the same feeling when I saw another member of my Government who shall remain nameless, Humza Yousaf, on television last week, saying that the first time he met me was when I came to speak to his modern studies class. I have sympathy with how she feels today. Jackson Carlaw, thank you very much for reminding me how much talent I have here on the back benches. I have to say in all seriousness, Presiding Officer, I have not appreciated how difficult picking a Government is because there are many, many people on these back benches that I would have loved to appoint to Government. I say to everybody that there is no member of the SNP group who should not aspire to ministerial office as I ensure that, at all times, the Government that I lead has all of the best talent within it. I think, though my best revenge for the remainder of Jackson Carlaw's comments is simply to leave him alone to the tender mercies of Rosanna Cunningham and say that it was very nice knowing him and wish him all the best. Moving on to Willie Little or otherwise, Rennie. I thank you for your kind comments. Can I say very briefly in this, maybe an issue we can come back to at greater length on another occasion, but the size of the Government and the allocation of portfolios is what I deem to be appropriate to meet the challenges that I think we face as a country and also to prepare for the substantial new powers that we have been promised by all of the other parties in this chamber are about to come to the Scottish Parliament. So that is the reason for the shape and the allocation of my Government. As Jackie Baillie said, we will now get on with proving our worth through the job that we do. Finally, Patrick Harvie, thank you for being both constructive and, as you always do, for laying down challenges to the ministers that have been appointed. I will end by saying a very much look forward to being a co-witness with Patrick Harvie at one of the country's first same-sex marriages on hug money. Thank you very much indeed, Presiding Officer, to everybody who has contributed to the debate. That concludes the debate on the appointment of Scottish ministers and junior Scottish Ministers. We now move to the questions. There are two questions to be put as a result. The first question is at motion number 11672, in the name of the First Minister, on the appointment of Scottish ministers to be agreed to. Are we all agreed? The Parliament is agreed. As the Parliament has agreed to the First Minister's recommendations, she may now invite Her Majesty to approve the appointment of Keith Brown, Michael Matheson and Roseanna Cunningham as Scottish ministers. The next question is at motion number 11673, in the name of the First Minister, on the appointment of junior Scottish ministers to be agreed to. Are we all agreed? The Parliament is agreed. As the Parliament has agreed to the First Minister's recommendations, she may now invite Her Majesty to approve the appointment of Annabelle Ewing, Jamie Hepburn, Michael B. R.J., Maureen Watt and Aileen McLeod as junior Scottish ministers.