Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and her husband Ali Maclennan are expecting their first child together in the summer, it has been announced.
The couple wed last summer in Dingwall and have three teenage daughters Rachael, Rebekah and Zara.
First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, offered her congratulations to the couple on Twitter, writing: “lovely news”.
The MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch will likely become the first-ever serving Cabinet Secretary to go on maternity leave.
However, she reassured constituents that her team will continue supporting local residents.
She said: “My husband Ali and I are absolutely delighted to announce that we are expecting a baby later this year.
“All being well, we’re looking forward to welcoming a new member of the family in the summer.
“We have been incredibly grateful for the kind messages of support from family, friends, constituents and colleagues.
“In the meantime, I have a very busy few months ahead including the final stage of the Budget this week and supporting people through the cost of living crisis.
“I will be taking maternity leave when the baby arrives – but I want to reassure constituents that my office will remain open, and my constituency team will continue to provide help and support, as usual, to the residents of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.”
Congratulations to @_KateForbes and Ali. Lovely news! https://t.co/VynEYMQl3w
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) February 8, 2022
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy said politics was “not renowned” for being a supportive environment for parents but hoped she could play a small role in changing that perception.
She said: “There might be particular challenges with being a politician in the public eye, whilst combating the side effects of pregnancy, but it is an experience which is familiar to countless women.
“Politics, like many workplaces, is not renowned for being a supportive environment for parents.
“Hopefully I can play a small part in changing that, and demonstrating that it is possible to have children and a career, with the right support in place.”
Labour’s health spokeswoman Monica Lennon tweeted: “Lovely news, congratulations to you both. Keep well, Kate.”