leaves government.
Minister for Parliamentary Business has tendered his resignation
from government and the First Minister has accepted.
Mr Hepburn joined the Scottish Government in 2014 as Minister for
Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health. He was appointed
Minister for Employability and Training in 2016, Minister for
Business, Fair Work and Skills in 2018, Minister for Independence
in 2023, before being appointed as Minister for Parliamentary
Business in May 2024.
Background
Changes to the ministerial team will be announced in due course.
Please find the full text of the letters from Mr Hepburn and the
First Minister below.
Letter from Mr Hepburn:
Dear First Minister,
Over the course of yesterday evening and today I have been
reflecting on the incident that has been widely reported in the
media in the last two days and discussing it with my family. I
have come to conclude that I want to offer my resignation as your
Minister for Parliamentary Business.
I understand that that a complaint has been made to you with a
suggestion that I be referred to the Independent Advisers on the
Scottish Ministerial Code.
Irrespective of whether or not the Ministerial Code has been
breached, even if there had been no complaint made, I believe I
have not acted in accordance with my own personal code of
practice. This decision is one that I feel is for the best in
these circumstances and the one that for my own part feel is the
appropriate course of action.
I hope it would be felt by most, and not least you, that in my
personal and professional undertakings I have always tried to act
courteously in interacting with colleagues, either of our own
party or others. There is no denying that my interaction
with Ross fell well short of that
standard. Despite whatever annoyance I felt at that
particular moment, there is a manner in which that might have
been conveyed, or indeed shouldn't have been conveyed. That
is not in utilising the language that I did. I hope it is
recognised on your part and others that this behaviour was quite
out of character on my part.
I do not want to cause any distraction for you or the Government,
or indeed to that of the primary position of responsibility I
have as the constituency representative for Cumbernauld and
Kilsyth. I believe my continued presence as one of your
Ministers would do so. In such circumstances I believe it
is best that I stand down with immediate effect.
With no sense of personal pity, having served continuously in
Government for almost eleven years it is a source of regret that
my tenure in Ministerial office comes to an end in this
fashion. In the immediate period it will be the greater
part of what is reported out of my time in office, but I hope it
is felt that I have made a positive contribution across the
various roles I have held serving in your government and that of
your two predecessors. Others will of course be the judge
of that.
I am grateful to you for the support you have shown me during my
time as a Minister and you can be assured of my ongoing support
for you and the Government in this critical period.
Yours sincerely
Letter from the First Minister:
Dear Jamie,
It is with much personal regret that I accept your letter of
resignation as Minister for Parliamentary Business.
I am deeply grateful for your efforts on behalf of the
Government, where you have always worked across Parliament in
accommodating the requests and views of other parties over the
matters that should command the time and attention of the
chamber. I know there will be no one more frustrated than you,
over this one slip in your normal approach of courtesy and
respect to all.
I know that my predecessors also valued the contributions that
you made in their governments. Your work in delivering the Carers
(Scotland) Act 2016 while a Health Minister has made a real
difference in the lives of carers, and the people they care for.
While Business Minister you championed support for consumers and
were instrumental in the establishment of Consumer Scotland.
As we progress toward independence, I appreciate the work that
you carried out as Minister for Independence to make the case for
a better future for our nation. And during the Covid pandemic, I
recall our work together in supporting the business sector and
your efforts to support the recovery in higher and further
education during your time in the Education portfolio.
Your efforts as a Minister have benefited the people of Scotland
in myriad walks of life. Despite your decision to step down, you
will continue to play an important role in our Party and in
public life, as well as continuing to be a vocal advocate for the
people of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.
You leave office with my warmest thanks and my appreciation for
the constant support that you have given to me.
Yours for Scotland,
