Nine new junior ministers appointed by Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon has used her rehuffle to promote a number of rising stars to ministerial positions following her cabinet reshuffle.

Five ministers have been kept on and joined by nine newly-promoted MSPs, seven of them elected in 2016.

Sturgeon said the focus had been on bringing “fresh talent”.

The ministerial briefs have been renamed to support an expanded cabinet from ten to 12.

Paul Wheelhouse, Jamie Hepburn and Maree Todd have kept their positions covering energy, jobs and children respectively. Joe Fitzpatrick has been moved to the public health brief.

Young MSPs regarded as SNP rising stars have been given prominent roles. Kate Forbes will cover public finance and digital economy, Mairi Gougeon is the new minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment, while Edinburgh Eastern MSP Ash Denham takes over as community safety minister replacing Annabelle Ewing.

Ivan McKee is the new minister for trade, investment and innovation and Ben MacPherson becomes Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development.

Former mental health nurse Clare Haughey has been appointed minister for mental health minister and former college lecturer Gillian Martin will become the new minister for further and higher education.

Sturgeon said: “The ministerial team represents constituencies the length and breadth of Scotland, coming with a range of professional backgrounds and bringing a breadth of real life experience to their roles.

“For instance, Claire Haughey brings her extensive background as a mental health nurse to the mental health portfolio, Kate Forbes will bring her finance background to bear in her brief, Gillian Martin has long experience in further education as a college lecturer, and Ivan McKee brings the expertise he has acquired from a highly successful career in business to the role of Trade and Innovation Minister.”