In June 2023, Fiona Hyslop MSP was appointed Transport Minister. The new Minister for Transport is the eighth person in this role since the launch of the Scottish Ferries Plan in December 2012 and the Cabinet Secretary she will report to is the fifth Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for transport during this time.iCabinet Secretaries with responsibility for Transport - Nicola Sturgeon MSP (Infrastructure, Capital Investment and Cities - 2012 - 2014), Keith Brown MSP (Infrastructure, Investment and Cities - 2014 - 2016), Fergus Ewing MSP (Rural Economy and Connectivity - 2016-2018), Michael Matheson MSP (Transport Infrastructure and Connectivity - 2018- 2021, and Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport - 2021 - April 2023), Mairi MacAllan MSP (Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and a Just Transition April 2023-June 2023 and Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition June - June 2023 - Present); Transport Ministers - Keith Brown MSP (Transport and Veterans - 2012-2014), Derek Mackay (Transport and Islands - 2014-2016), Humza Yousaf MSP (Transport and the Islands - 2016 - 2018), Paul Wheelhouse (Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity - 2018-2021), Graeme Dey MSP (Transport 2021 - 2022), Jenny Gilruth MSP (2022-April 2023), Kevin Stewart MSP (April 2023 - June 2023) and Fiona Hyslop MSP (June 2023 - Present)
The Committee understands that ministerial change is a fact of political life but this level of churn is unhelpful as we heard from island communities on our visits.