Scotland Office

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The Scotland Office (Oifis na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a department of the United Kingdom government, led by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for reserved Scottish affairs and for facilitating the smooth operation of devolution.

Until the advent of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive, the precursor to the Scotland Office, the Scottish Office, was a major UK government department dealing with most aspects of the governance of Scotland. Since devolution its powers have been limited to those relating to reserved matters that are not dealt with by other departments of the UK Government, and it, along with the Wales Office, is now a branch of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

The office of Secretary of State for Scotland continues in existence but at present is held along with another Secretary of Stateship by a member of the Cabinet.

Secretary of State for Scotland - The Rt Hon. Douglas Alexander, MP (who is also the Secretary of State for Transport)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State - David Cairns, MP
Advocate General - Neil Davidson
House of Lords spokesperson - The Rt Hon. The Lord Evans of Temple Guiting

The department is based at Dover House, in London's Whitehall, and employs around 40 permanent staff, as well as serving as a base for staff of the Scottish Executive in London. The Advocate General, as a Law Officer, also has an office in Edinburgh.

[edit] References

Torrance, David, The Scottish Secretaries (Birlinn 2006)

[edit] External links

Official website

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