Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy

Responsibilities

Supports the First Minister.

• external affairs
• Europe and the European Union including alignment
• Scotland's international network and Scottish connections
• oil and gas
• energy systems
• energy policy and strategy
• domestic energy efficiency
• offshore renewable energy systems
• industrial decarbonisation
• hydrogen policy, carbon capture utilisation and storage
• heat networks
• heating and domestic energy transformation
• Heat and Energy Efficiency Scotland
• decarbonisation of buildings and Heat in Buildings programme 
• fuel poverty

Biography

Stephen Gethins studied Law at the University of Dundee and completed a Masters degree at the University of Kent. Before entering elected politics, he worked in the NGO sector on peace-building, arms control and democracy in areas affected by conflict, with a particular focus on Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Stephen also worked in Brussels in the EU and at Scotland House. He later served as a Special Adviser on European and International Affairs to First Ministers Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.

Mr Gethins served as MP for North East Fife from 2015 to 2019 and then MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry from 2024 to 2026. Between his time as an MP, he was Professor of Practice in International Relations and served on the Senior Management Team as Assistant Vice-Principal International at the University of St Andrews.

He was elected to the Scottish Parliament as the MSP for Dundee City East in May 2026.

• Read more about Stephen Gethins on the Scottish Parliament Website.