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First minister Alex Salmond finalising SNP cabinet First minister Alex Salmond unveils enlarged cabinet
(about 1 hour later)
First Minister Alex Salmond is finalising what may be a new beefed-up Scottish cabinet, with an enlarged membership. First Minister Alex Salmond has announced a new, larger Scottish cabinet, in the wake of the SNP's landslide election victory.
A string of senior SNP figures have arrived at Edinburgh's Bute House, the first minister's official residence, ahead of an official announcement. There are now a total of nine senior ministers, compared to six in the previous cabinet, including Mr Salmond.
The number includes several who served as junior ministers in the last parliament. Several junior ministers - Fiona Hyslop, Alex Neil and Bruce Crawford - were promoted to the cabinet.
Meanwhile, Frank Mulholland has been appointed as the new lord advocate. Meanwhile, QC Frank Mulholland has been appointed as the new lord advocate, to head up the prosecution service.
The QC will now head up Scotland's prosecution service, while his previous job of solicitor general has been filled by senior procurator fiscal Lesley Thomson. His previous job of solicitor general has been filled by senior procurator fiscal Lesley Thomson.
There were six members of the Scottish Cabinet in the last parliament, including the first minister. Ms Hyslop was named secretary for culture and external affairs, Mr Neil is secretary for infrastructure and capital investment, while Mr Crawford has taken on a post overseeing parliamentary business and government strategy.
Richard Lochhead, who will retain his post as environment secretary, was the eighth person to arrive at Bute House. Richard Lochhead has retained his post as environment secretary, as has Nicola Sturgeon in health and Kenny MacAskill, in justice.
Junior ministers, Bruce Crawford and Alex Neil and Fiona Hyslop also attended, but all stayed tight-lipped on which roles they might get. Mike Russell will also continue in his role as education secretary.
Current cabinet members John Swinney, Kenny MacAskill and Mike Russell, the finance, justice and education secretaries, also arrived at Bute House. John Swinney remains finance secretary, although his area of responsibility will take a focus on jobs.
As did health secretary and deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who could be in line to be named as cities minister - a new post promised in the SNP manifesto. The cabinet was announced after Mr Salmond, the SNP leader, was re-elected as first minister by MSPs and formally re-appointed to the role by the Queen.
The cabinet is being announced after Mr Salmond, the SNP leader, was re-elected as first minister by MSPs and formally re-appointed to the role by the Queen, following his party's landslide Holyrood election win.