Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands

Mairi Gougeon MSP

Contact

Address

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

Mairi Gougeon was reappointed Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands in May 2024.

Responsibilities

The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for: 

  • aquaculture
  • Agriculture Bill
  • Crown Estate Scotland
  • fisheries
  • food and drink
  • forestry and woodlands, including Forestry and Land Scotland and Scottish Forestry
  • islands, including island connectivity (cross-government co-ordination)
  • land reform and land use
  • marine operations, science and compliance
  • national parks and natural heritage
  • Royal Botanic Gardens
  • Scottish Land Commission

Supporting Ministers

Biography

Mairi was elected as MSP for Angus North and Mearns in May 2016.

Mairi joined the government in 2018 and became Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs in 2021. Previous roles have included Minister for Public Health and Sport, and Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment.

Before joining the government, Mairi was a councillor for Brechin and Edzell. She was convenor of the infrastructure services committee and chaired the East of Scotland European Consortium. Mairi represented COSLA at the Council of European Municipalities and Regions. 

She is a graduate of the University of Aberdeen.  She was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands in March 2023.

 

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