New Neighbours

In the midst of everything else that has been happening this week, I have also moved office.

With the appointment of Derek MacKay in December in the light of Angela Constance's move to Youth Employment and Aileen Campbell's transfer into Angela's old job, the number of ministers in the Scottish Government increased by one. That meant that there was a need for an additional office.

Derek has now moved into Aileen Campbell's old office on the 4th floor of the Ministerial Tower so that he and Fergus Ewing are close to John Swinney, to whom they work. Aileen has come down to the 3rd to join the other education ministers. She has moved into my former office (the view from which was my very first blip ) and I have moved to the Law Officers' old room.

The new space allows me to hold meetings larger than three or four people, which was previously a bit of a problem. It also has - an added bonus - a view to Dynamic Earth and Salisbury Crags.

This is my third office in the Parliament as a Minister and there have been a few other ministerial office moves over the past (almost) five years. I am always intrigued by the rapid change of names on the doors - mine was there when I got in on Wednesday morning, next to Keith's , as the picture shows. But I have never seen the person who does it, or how it is done. I am more and more curious about that !