(57)  First Minister and Scottish Executive: Lab-Lib pact

Donald Dewar was elected as the first First Minister of the Scottish Parliament on 13 May 1999. Following agreement of a coalition programme between the Labour and Liberal Democrat Parties, Mr Dewar was sworn in by the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 17 May 1999, and began to appoint the Scottish Executive. Jim Wallace of the Liberal Democrats was appointed as Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice. Other appointments included Henry McLeish as Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning; Sam Galbraith as Minister for Children and Education; Jack McConnell as Minister for Finance; Wendy Alexander as Minister for Social Inclusion, Local Government and Housing, Susan Deacon as Minister for Health and Community Care, Sarah Boyack as Minister for Transport and the Environment, and Ross Finnie as Minister for Rural Affairs. Lord Hardie of Blackford and Mr Colin Boyd have been reappointed as Lord Advocate and Solicitor General for Scotland respectively. Meantime, Dr John Reid MP was appointed to succeed Donald Dewar as Secretary of State for Scotland, and Lynda Clark QC MP (see No 3 and No 17 below) was made the first Advocate General for Scotland, the first woman to be a Law Officer.