The Deputy First Minister of Scotland is, as the name suggests, the Deputy to the First Minister of Scotland. The post is currently held by Nicol Stephen. Flag of Scotland Ratio 3:5 430 × 260 pixels 2041 bytes There is an alternate flag with a lighter blue coloring: File links The following pages link to this file: Aberdeenshire (unitary) Angus Act of Union 1707 Aviemore Achiltibuie Cross Chelsea F.C. England England national football team Fulham F... Overview Scotland is one of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ... The Scottish Parliament (Pàrlamaid na h-Alba in Gaelic, Scots Pairlament in Scots) is the national unicameral legislature of Scotland. ... The Scottish Executive (Riaghaltas na h-Alba in Gaelic) is the executive arm of the Scottish Parliament. ... The First Minister (Prìomh Mhinistear in Scots Gaelic) is the leader of Scotlands national home rule government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the reconstituted Scottish Parliament. ... The Presiding Officer (Oifigear-Riaghlaidh in Scots Gaelic) is the person elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament to chair their meetings. ... Her Majestys Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate (Morair Tagraidh in Scots Gaelic), was the chief legal adviser of the United Kingdom Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters until the passing of the Scotland Act 1998. ... Her Majestys Solicitor General for Scotland (Àrd-neach-lagha a Chrùin an Alba) is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Executive on Scots Law. ... ... Before 1975 local government in Scotland was organised on the county system. ... The polling date for the second Scottish Parliament election was held on May 1, 2003. ... Parties represented in the Scottish Parliament (in order of number of representatives): Labour Party - Centre-left, unionist - 50 MSPs Scottish National Party (SNP) - Centre-left, pro-independence- 27 MSPs Conservative and Unionist Party - Centre-right, unionist - 18 MSPs Liberal Democrats - Centre, federalist - 17 MSPs Scottish Green Party - Environmentalist, pro-independence... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... The Scotland Office (Oifis na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a department of the United Kingdom government, responsible for reserved Scottish affairs. ... The Secretary of State for Scotland (Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief minister in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilites for Scotland, at the head of the Scotland Office (formerly The Scottish Office). ... The First Minister (Prìomh Mhinistear in Scots Gaelic) is the leader of Scotlands national home rule government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the reconstituted Scottish Parliament. ... Nicol Stephen (born 23 March 1960) is a Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP and Minister for Transport in the Scottish Executive. ...

The post is not recognised in statute (in comparison with the post of First Minister which is established by the Scotland Act 1998), and its holder is simply an ordinary member of the Executive, but the post has existed in practice since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive in 1999. The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster. ... The Scottish Parliament (Pàrlamaid na h-Alba in Gaelic, Scots Pairlament in Scots) is the national unicameral legislature of Scotland. ... The Scottish Executive (Riaghaltas na h-Alba in Gaelic) is the executive arm of the Scottish Parliament. ...

The Additional Member System used to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament makes it difficult for a single party to have an absolute majority, and the Scottish Executive has since 1999 been formed by a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition. The First Minister is appointed from the majority coalition partner (Labour) and the Deputy First Minister from the minority partner (Liberal Democrats). The Additional Member System (AMS) is a voting system where some representatives are elected from geographic constituencies and others are elected under proportional representation from party lists. ... ... The Labour Party is a a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics), and one of the United Kingdoms three main political parties. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a social liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ...

During the illness of the first First Minister, Donald Dewar, the Deputy First Minister took over the running of the Executive. The Rt. ...

Deputy First Ministers of Scotland

• Jim Wallace (1999-2005) Liberal Democrat
• Nicol Stephen (2005-) Liberal Democrat