John Swinney SNP Cabinet: The challenging in-tray on education, health, transport, and arts and culture

A series of decisions must be announced in next few weeks to end education’s paralysis

John Swinney has unveiled his Cabinet – and despite containing a swathe of familiar faces on the same briefs, some of the challenges that face ministers will take on a new perspective under Scotland’s seventh First Minister.

Here our specialist correspondents Calum Ross, Joseph Anderson, Alastair Dalton and Brian Ferguson take a look at the in-trays on the key portfolios of education, health, transport, and arts and culture.

In-tray: Education

Newly appointed First Minister John Swinney (bottom, centre-right) and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes (bottom, centre-left pose for a photo with their new Cabinet. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

By Calum Ross