New public health minister now in charge of testing
BUNGLING former public health minister Joe FitzPatrick was replaced in a Scottish Cabinet reshuffle last night.
Mairi Gougeon has now been tasked with co-ordinating the coronavirus testing programme in Scotland.
The former minister for rural affairs takes up the public health and sport role after her predecessor quit on Friday.
A motion of no confidence was tabled against Mr FitzPatrick after 1,264 drugrelated deaths across Scotland in 2019 – a record high and the worst toll in the EU.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave Angela Constance the newly-created role of minister for drugs policy.
The Scottish Government said that Miss Gougeon’s appointment was part of a wider ministerial shake-up aimed at boosting the fight against coronavirus.
She will take responsibility, along with Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, for the Covid-19 testing programme.
Ben Macpherson takes over Miss Gougeon’s former post, with his public finance and migration role being split between Ivan McKee and Jenny Gilruth.
Mr McKee, minister for trade, will take on the public finance aspect while Miss Gilruth, the minister for Europe, will now also deal with migration.
Miss Sturgeon said: ‘At a crucial time for Scotland, these new appointments ensure that we have a ministerial team fully focused on tackling the many important challenges facing us.
‘Mairi Gougeon has proven herself to be a highly-effective rural affairs minister working with stakeholders, balancing competing interests and taking on difficult policy chal
lenges. She will now be part of the team protecting and improving Scotland’s public health and will play a key role in the pandemic, taking the lead on testing.
‘Ben Macpherson takes on the environment post at a critical time in our fight against climate change.
‘With responsibility for migration, Jenny Gilruth will be working to tackle the demographic challenge threatening to undermine our economy and our society.’