Humza Yousaf appoints Natalie Don as Scotland's minister for children

Yousaf was elected leader Scotland's new First Minister after a vote in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.

He succeeds Nicola Sturgeon who announced in February that she would resign after more than eight years in the job.

Yousaf is the country's sixth first minister and first from an ethnic minority background. At 37 he is Scotland's youngest First Minister, and the first Muslim to lead a major UK party.

Natalie Don, the MSP Renfrewshire North and West, has been appointed as Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise.

Don said, ‘Honoured to take on the role of Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise. This role is very important to me. Between my own experiences growing up and my young family at home, I am committed to ensuring the absolute best for all our children and young people.’

The new First Minister has appointed 10 ministers to the Scottish Cabinet, including Jenny Gilruth who was named as the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (see full list below).

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of NDNA Scotland said, ‘We warmly welcome the new minister Natalie Don to the Scottish Government and look forward to working with her, particularly on addressing the challenges parents and providers are facing with the cost of living and the Scottish Government’s expansion plans for funded early learning and childcare.

‘The new Minister will have a lot in her in-tray on the back of the First Minister’s pledges to make their expansion plans a political priority. Providers in the private and voluntary sector are struggling with rising costs and the current rates do not cover these. These challenges must be addressed before further expansion can be rolled out.

‘Children must be at the centre as these plans are delivered, which means funding truly following the child. Private nurseries also struggle with the pressures of recruiting and retaining staff while competing with better wages in the public sector. We need the Minister to review the impact of the disparity of funding on the workforce and efforts to maintain high quality of provision in our sector.

‘The new Minister also needs to look to the brilliant practice that is already delivered by the private and voluntary sector for children under three. Any expansion plans which undermine existing, good quality nurseries and are not adequately backed with sufficient investment could do more harm than good.’

New Scottish Cabinet

Yousaf unveiled his Cabinet team with five members aged under 40 and, for the first time ever, a majority of women.

In a Cabinet of ten that sees the Economy established as a portfolio in its own right:

• Shona Robison, the new Deputy First Minister, will take on the Finance portfolio, including responsibility for the Scottish Budget
• Michael Matheson becomes the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care
• Jenny Gilruth joins Cabinet for the first time as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
• Màiri McAllan joins Cabinet for the first time as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition
• Neil Gray joins Cabinet for the first time as Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy
• Mairi Gougeon remains Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
• Angus Robertson remains Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture
• Shirley-Anne Somerville becomes Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice
• Angela Constance returns to Cabinet as the new Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs