Fiona Hyslop
Fiona Jane Hyslop (born 1 August 1964) is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Transport since 2024. Hyslop is the only current serving minister from the first SNP government having served in various cabinet and junior ministerial offices under first ministers Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon; first as education secretary from 2007 to 2009, then culture secretary from 2009 to 2020, and latterly as economy secretary from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Linlithgow constituency since 2011, having represented the Lothians region from 1999 to 2011.
Fiona Hyslop MSP | |||||||||||||||||||
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Official portrait, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Transport | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 8 February 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Humza Yousaf | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Màiri McAllan | ||||||||||||||||||
| Minister for Transport | |||||||||||||||||||
| In office 14 June 2023 – 8 February 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Humza Yousaf | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Kevin Stewart | ||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Jim Fairlie | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture | |||||||||||||||||||
| In office 17 February 2020 – 20 May 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Nicola Sturgeon | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Derek Mackay | ||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Kate Forbes (Economy) Angus Robertson (Culture) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 December 2009 – 17 February 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Alex Salmond Nicola Sturgeon | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Michael Russell | ||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michael Russell | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning | |||||||||||||||||||
| In office 17 May 2007 – 1 December 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Alex Salmond | ||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Hugh Henry | ||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Michael Russell | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Fiona Jane Hyslop 1 August 1964 Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland | ||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Scottish National Party | ||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Kenneth Anderson (m.1994) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow Heriot-Watt University | ||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Sales and marketing executive | ||||||||||||||||||
| Website | http://www.fionahyslop.com/ | ||||||||||||||||||
Hyslop was born in Ayrshire and spent her early years in England, before moving back to Scotland. She attended the University of Glasgow, where she earned a Masters of Art in Economic History and Sociology. She moved to Edinburgh and worked for the Standard Life Assurance Company. Hyslop joined the SNP in 1986 and spent her spare time campaigning in local elections. She unsuccessfully stood for the British House of Commons for both the Edinburgh Leith and Edinburgh Central constituencies in the 90s. In 1999, she was elected to the Scottish Parliament as an additional member for the Lothian regions.
After the SNP's election victory in 2007, Hyslop was appointed by First Minister Alex Salmond as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, but was later sacked following threats of a motion of no confidence in 2009. She was demoted to junior Minister for Culture and External Affairs, which was later promoted to cabinet-level in 2011. She served as Culture Secretary from 2011 to 2020, where she then added economy on to her portfolio, as Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture. In 2021, following First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's cabinet reshuffle, she announced her intention to step down, having served 14 years in government.