Scotland’s former universities minister takes skills brief

Shirley-Anne Somerville replaces John Swinney as minister for education and skills in Scotland

Shirley-Anne Somerville, a former minister for further and higher education in the Scottish government, has been picked as the country’s new minister for education and skills.

Somerville (pictured, left) replaces deputy first minister John Swinney (pictured, right), who was moved out of his role as education secretary and given responsibility for Covid recovery. Swinney has kept his position as deputy first minister in the Scottish government’s new cabinet, announced on 19 May following national elections.