Page "First Minister of Scotland" Paragraph 18

Unlike the office of First Minister, the post of Deputy is not recognised in statute and confers no extra status on the holder.

Like the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister is an elected Member of the Scottish Parliament and a member of the Scottish Government.

From 1999 to 2007, when Scotland was governed by a Labour / Liberal Democrat coalition, the leader of the Liberal Democrats-the junior government party, was given the role of Deputy First Minister ; a title which they held in conjunction with another ministerial portfolio.

For example, Nicol Stephen, Deputy First Minister from 2005 to 2007, simultaneously held the post of Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning.