Resignation date of former First Minister and appointment date of current First Minister: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for the official date that Alex Salmond resigned the office of First Minister and the date Nicola Sturgeon assumed office.

Response

Sections 45 and 46 of the Scotland Act (1998) make provisions for the Scottish Parliament, which is a wholly separate public authority from the Scottish Government, to appoint a First Minister from among its members.

Mr Salmond submitted his resignation as First Minister to the Scottish Parliament and to the Queen on 18 November 2014. The formal selection by the Scottish Parliament of Ms Sturgeon, as his successor, took place the following day, 19 November 2014. Ms Sturgeon was formally sworn in as First Minister on 20 November 2014.

Details of proceedings on 18 and 19 November 2014 are available on the Parliament's website at: https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=9633 and https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=9637

Should you require further detail about this process, information on making an FOI request to the Scottish Parliament is available on their website at: https://www.parliament.scot/abouttheparliament/13590.aspx.

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The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.