About

Shona Robison MSP

Shona Robison was born in Redcar in 1966. Educated at Alva Academy, she went on to graduate from Glasgow University with a Social Sciences MA and Jordanhill College with a Postgraduate Certificate in Community Education. She previously worked for Glasgow City Council’s Social Work Department.

Shona was an MSP for the North East from 1999-2003 before being elected MSP for Dundee East in 2003 (now renamed Dundee City East). Latterly she was Shadow Minister for Health and Social Justice and a member of the Parliament’s Health Committee. She was appointed Minister for Public Health in the minority Scottish Government formed after the May 2007 election. In February 2009 she additionally assumed responsibility for the sport remit and her title changed to Minister for Public Health and Sport.

Following the 2011 election, Shona was made Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport. In 2014, with additional responsibilities for Equalities and Pensioners’ Rights being added to her portfolio, she became a full member of the Scottish Cabinet and served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport until June 2018.

Following the 2021 election, Shona was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government. Shona was then appointed as Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance in March 2023. In May 2024, Shona stepped down from her role as Deputy First Minister and currently holds the position of Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.

She lives in Dundee and has a daughter.