Who’s in John Swinney’s cabinet and what challenges do they face?

The new first minister assembled his cabinet hours after being officially sworn into the post at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

But there is not a single new face in John Swinney’s top team, as they have all had a seat around the cabinet table under one of his predecessors, either Humza Yousaf or Nicola Sturgeon.

Although a move towards smaller government had been signalled, the new first minister has increased the number of cabinet posts by one, to 11.

In a very limited reshuffle, Kate Forbes becomes deputy first minister at the expense of Shona Robison, and Màiri McAllan has her portfolio split, with responsibility for the economy given over to Forbes.

Deputy first minister, economy and Gaelic secretary: Kate Forbes

The MSP for Ross, Skye & Badenoch is known for her socially conservative views.

Forbes, 34, had been tipped to run for the SNP leadership again after Humza Yousaf stood down last week, but she struck a deal with Swinney, who went on to claim the position of party leader unopposed.

He has now rewarded her by making her his deputy, and also giving her responsibility for the economy and Gaelic. She will bring a fresh approach to an ailing set of ministers, but her preferment is expected to annoy the Sturgeon camp in the party.

In tray: With economic growth a priority, a restoration of capital funding for housing would be a welcome boost. She will also endeavour to improve relations with the UK government to foster joint projects.

Finance and local government secretary: Shona Robison

To some surprise, Swinney has kept Shona Robison, 57, in the cabinet as finance secretary, a post in which she is not regarded to have excelled.

A close ally of Sturgeon and part of Yousaf’s Dundee set, she is the SNP’s longest-serving minister in government, having been a minister since 2007. Robison will also take responsibility for local government.

In tray: The Scottish government’s finances are in a parlous state. Under Robison’s tenure, it froze council tax but raised income tax further and introduced spending cuts across the public services. A previous plan by Forbes, when she was finance secretary, for government reform was binned by Robison when she took over the job. Must repair relations with local government after a turbulent year of funding cuts and a council tax freeze.

NHS recovery, health and social care: Neil Gray

Gray, 38, the Airdrie & Shotts MSP, was Yousaf’s closest ally in cabinet. He was appointed health secretary earlier this year, after Michael Matheson stepped down over the iPad scandal, and stays in post. He is tipped as a future leader, but close friends said he just didn’t feel ready this time. Gray is a former journalist with BBC Radio Orkney.

In tray: Improving the government’s woeful record on NHS waiting lists, while facing a crisis in recruitment and retention of staff, will be key for Gray. The capital budget for new hospitals and health facilities is also a huge headache with a revised way forward expected soon. The government’s much-vaunted, but watered-down, social care plan is also in need of direction and cash. Ministerial failure to endorse the recommendations of the Cass review, into children’s gender identity services, also needs to be addressed.

Education and skills secretary: Jenny Gilruth

As a former modern studies teacher, there were high expectations of the SNP MSP for Glenrothes, 40, when she took over as education secretary, but she has made little progress on reform of Scotland’s schools.

In tray: How to improve Scotland’s underperforming schools as they drop down the international league tables is a priority, as the government has failed to make progress in reducing the attainment gap. Funding cuts are also set to bite with reductions in the number of teachers, and inadequate resources devoted to additional support needs.

Net zero and energy secretary: Màiri McAllan

The youngest member of cabinet at 31, the former social adviser and Clydesdale MSP has retained her net zero role. Regarded as bright and a star of the future, she has failed so far to make much of a mark on government. She goes on maternity leave in the summer to have her first child.

In tray: Despite its net zero commitments, is there room for the Scottish government to improve its relations with the oil and gas industry? McAllan recently announced the government was watering down its climate change targets, drawing significant criticism.

Transport secretary: Fiona Hyslop

A veteran West Lothian MSP, Hyslop, 59, holds on to her transport portfolio. She has served in a number of ministerial roles since 2007 under Alex Salmond, Sturgeon, Yousaf and now Swinney. In her time she has been cabinet secretary for education, culture and tourism, economy and fair work, and now transport.

In tray: Key questions for Hyslop include: will off-peak fares remain on Scotland’s nationalised railways, when will the two much-delayed and over-budget Ferguson ferries come into service, and will it be easier to spend money on roads now that the Greens are no longer in government?

Constitution, external affairs and culture secretary: Angus Robertson

Robertson, who is also known as “air miles Angus” for the frequency of his trips abroad on government business, remains as culture secretary. He returned from yet another trip, this time from Germany, on Tuesday.

The Edinburgh Central MSP, 54, is a former SNP Westminster leader. An experienced election campaign director, and a former SNP deputy leader, Robertson has been in the cabinet in this role for four years.

In tray: There are huge questions over the global standing of Scotland’s cultural sector, with recent spending cuts to key institutions. Last month, the chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe described the level of support for the Fringe as a “national embarrassment”. Spending on government independence papers at the public expense, and the cabinet secretary’s frequent trips abroad, have been extensively criticised.

Social justice secretary: Shirley-Anne Somerville

A favourite and confidante of Sturgeon, Somerville, 49, has been MSP for Dunfermline since 2016, and a cabinet secretary since 2018. She keeps her social justice role. As director of communities in the Yes campaign for independence in 2014, she had a key role in the independence referendum.

In tray: Soaring social security costs are a worry for ministers. Whether they will find cash to increase the Scottish child payment, as part of the first minister’s top priority to combat child poverty, remains to be seen.

Justice and home affairs secretary: Angela Constance

Constance, 53, remains in her post as justice secretary, which she took up last March. The Almond Valley MSP is regarded as a safe and steady pair of hands and has previously served as minister for youth employment, cabinet secretary for education and cabinet secretary for communities, social security and equalities.

In tray: On the legislative front, plans for juryless rape trials continues to be a thorny issue for the government, as well as other reforms to the justice system. The misogyny bill promised by the government, and its plans for conversion therapy legislation, will also prove controversial. Meanwhile, cuts to police budgets, and their potential impact on crime rates, will rise further up the agenda.

Rural affairs, land reform and island secretary: Mairi Gougeon

Quiet and unobtrusive, the Angus MSP, 39, has been an MSP for eight years, and joined the cabinet in the same post in 2021.

In tray: The government’s forthcoming land reform bill may prove difficult for ministers. It promises to improve transparency of land ownership, help ensure large land holdings deliver in the public interest, and empower communities by providing more opportunities to own land and have more say in how land in their area is used. It will be opposed by land and estate owners.