Minister for Equalities and International Development
Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Minister for Equalities & International Development is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet.[2] The post was created in June 2018 under the title 'Minister for Older People and Equalities: the Minister supports the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, who is a full member of cabinet.[3]
StyleMinister
(within parliament)
Equalities Minister
(informal)
Scottish Equalities Minister
(outwith Scotland)
(within parliament)
Equalities Minister
(informal)
Scottish Equalities Minister
(outwith Scotland)
Reports toScottish Parliament
| Minister for Equalities & International Development | |
|---|---|
| Scottish Gaelic: Ministear airson Co-ionannachd | |
| |
| Style | Minister (within parliament) Equalities Minister (informal) Scottish Equalities Minister (outwith Scotland) |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | Scottish Parliament |
| Seat | Edinburgh |
| Appointer | First Minister |
| Inaugural holder | Jeane Freeman Minister for Social Security |
| Formation | 19 May 2016 |
| Salary | £106,185 per annum (2024)[1] (including £72,196 MSP salary) |
| Website | www |
The incumbent Minister is Simita Kumar since 21 May 2026.
Overview
The Minister for Older People and Equalities had specific responsibility for promoting and coordinating policy in support of:[3]
- Social equality with respect to gender, sexuality, race, and disability
- The protection and development of social and human rights
- Equality for and the needs of Older people
The current post holds the following responsibilities:
- mainstreaming of equality and human rights
- diversity, inclusion and equalities, including disability, older people, women, gender, LGBTI and race, including Gypsy/Traveller community
- social isolation and loneliness strategy
- faith and belief
- population and migration
- New Scots strategy
- refugees and asylum seekers
- displaced peoples
List of office holders
| Name | Portrait | Entered office | Left office | Party | First Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister for Social Security | |||||||
| Jeane Freeman |  |
19 May 2016 | 28 June 2018 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | ||
| Minister for Older People and Equalities | |||||||
| Christina McKelvie | .jpg) |
28 June 2018 | 29 March 2023 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | ||
| Minister for Social Security and Local Government | |||||||
| Ben Macpherson |  |
20 May 2021 | 29 March 2023 | Scottish National Party | Nicola Sturgeon | ||
| Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees | |||||||
| Emma Roddick |  |
29 March 2023 | 8 May 2024 | Scottish National Party | Humza Yousaf | ||
| Minister for Equalities | |||||||
| Kaukab Stewart |  |
8 May 2024 | 20 May 2026 | Scottish National Party | John Swinney | ||
| Minister for Equalities & International Development | |||||||
| Simita Kumar | .jpg) |
21 May 2026 | Incumbent | Scottish National Party | John Swinney | ||
