Angela Constance

Angela Constance was born, raised and educated in West Lothian and studied at the Universities of Glasgow and Stirling. Ms Constance worked in 3 Scottish Prisons as prisons based social worker – HMP Glenochil, HMP Friarton and HMP Perth and was a Social Worker and Mental Health Officer at The State Hospital, Carstairs. She was also a local councillor in Livingston.

She has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament since May 2007, first for the Livingston constituency and now for the Almond Valley constituency.

She was first appointed as a Minister in December 2010, within Skills and Lifelong learning and then Children’s Minister and has served as Minister for Youth Employment and Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women's Employment, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning and Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities and former Minister for Drugs Policy. Ms Constance served as Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs for more than three years until being appointed to her current role.