1. C THE FIRST MINISTER

2. Who are these men and what do they all have in common? Peter Robinson, First Minister, Northern Ireland Carwyn Jones, First Minister, Wales Alex Salmond, First Minister, Scotland

3. Role of the First Minister – Role 1 Decides who is in the government or his ‘cabinet’ Alex Salmond decides who will be in charge of education, health etc He has the ability to sack members of his cabinet or change their roles Alex Salmond asked Stewart Stevenson to resign as transport Minister after his poor handling of the sever winter weather in 2010 He also chairs meetings of the cabinet where decisions are made about what is best for Scotland

4. Role of the First Minister – Role 2 Alex Salmond is the head of the government and therefore has to justify what his government is doing He does this at First Ministers Questions every Thursday – Watch an exchange with Labour leader Johann Lamont herehere He also has to respond to MSPs who ask him ‘written questions’

5. Role of the First Minister – Power 3 The First Minister also represents Scotland around the world Alex Salmond went to China to broker the deal for the two pandas that came to Edinburgh He also was in India to support Scotland’s bid for the Commonwealth Games a few years ago

6. Potential Exam Question Describe, in detail, the role of Scotland’s First Minister