The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice, commonly referred to as the Justice Secretary, is a cabinet position in the Scottish Government. The position was created in 1999 as the Minister for Justice, with the advent of devolution and the institution of the Scottish Parliament, taking over some of the roles and functions of the former Scottish Office Minister for Home and Health that existed prior to 1999.
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice is responsible for criminal law and procedure, youth justice, criminal justice social work, police, prisons and sentencing policy, legal aid, legal profession, courts and law reform, anti-social behaviour, sectarianism, human rights, fire and rescue services, community safety, civil contingencies, drugs policy and related matters, liquor licensing, vulnerable witnesses, victim support and civil law, charity law, religious and faith organisations.
The following executive agencies report to him:
- Accountant in Bankruptcy
- Scottish Prison Service
- Scottish Court Service
Like the UK Secretary of State for Justice, but unlike some other justice ministers, he does not have any oversight of prosecutions - in Scotland these are handled by the Lord Advocate.
The current Cabinet Secretary for Justice is Kenny MacAskill who was appointed to the role after the Scottish Parliamentary Election of 2007.
Famous quotes containing the words cabinet, secretary and/or justice:
“In a cabinet of natural history, we become sensible of a certain occult recognition and sympathy in regard to the most unwieldy and eccentric forms of beast, fish, and insect.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“... the wife of an executive would be a better wife had she been a secretary first. As a secretary, you learn to adjust to the boss’s moods. Many marriages would be happier if the wife would do that.”
—Anne Bogan, U.S. executive secretary. As quoted in Working, book 1, by Studs Terkel (1973)
“The only justice is to follow the sincere intuition of the soul, angry or gentle. Anger is just, and pity is just, but judgement is never just.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)