Màiri McAllan appointed new Scottish transport secretary

Màiri McAllan will have overall responsibility for transport in an updated cabinet secretary role

The transport brief in the Scottish government has been restored to cabinet level.

First Minister Humza Yousaf has added it to the portfolio of Net Zero and Just Transition Secretary Màiri McAllan, with experienced MSP Fiona Hyslop to return to government in a junior ministerial role.

It follows the resignation of Kevin Stewart as transport minister last week.

He cited issues with his mental health.

Ms Hyslop – who stepped down from the government after 14 years in 2021 – will report to Ms McAllan as the new transport minister.

The appointment was unanimously backed by MSPs on Tuesday and will be sent to the King for approval.

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Responsibility for the green economy will move from Ms McAllan's brief to Richard Lochhead, who will report to her for these issues. His new title will be small business, innovation, tourism and trade minister.

The role of Gillian Martin is also to be increased under an expanded minister for energy and the environment role.

Mr Yousaf said: "I am pleased to announce that I am strengthening the ministerial team on transport."

Fiona Hyslop has returned to the Scottish government

The first minister hailed Ms Hyslop as "one of the most experienced politicians in the Scottish Parliament".

"Her return to government means she can bring her decades of experience across government to bear on the challenges that exist, not least around ferry services," he said.

Mr Yousaf said the changes "will ensure that the significant policy plans of this government can be pursued with vigour".

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It comes amid intense political and public pressure on the Scottish government over the country's ferry network.

In his resignation letter to the first minister, Mr Stewart said he had had bouts of low mental health since last October.

The Aberdeen Central representative will continue to sit as an SNP MSP.

Mr Stewart was given the transport brief by Mr Yousaf when the new first minister unveiled his government team in March this year, with his role including ministerial responsibility for Scotland's struggling CalMac ferry fleet.

'Error of judgement'

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: "It's a sorry reflection of the lack of talent on the SNP benches that Humza Yousaf has had to recall a previously sacked cabinet minister to fill the crucial transport brief. He's now so in hock to the extremist Greens that he's recycling failed ministers.

"It's an admission of his own error of judgement that the first minister has now added transport to the net zero secretary's brief - having removed it when he announced his cabinet."

Scottish Liberal Democrat rural affairs and connectivity spokesperson Beatrice Wishart said: "For too long, islanders and those living in more rural communities have endured a never-ending catalogue of disruption when trying to get from A to B. It's time for this government to change the direction of travel.

"Fiona Hyslop must listen carefully to the needs of those communities."

The RMT is calling for an urgent meeting with Ms Hyslop over Calmac's future.