Fuller governmental representation for Scotland came with the establishment of the Scottish Office in 1886, under the Secretary (later Secretary of State) for Scotland, though much of the administration continued to be performed by boards, including the new Board of Agriculture in 1911 (for the promotion of interests of agriculture, forestry and other rural industries) and the Board of Health in 1919. In 1939, the functions of these boards were vested directly in the Secretary of State and the Scottish Office was divided into departments dealing with specific matters: Agriculture, Education, Home and Health. In the same year a Scottish headquarters building was established at St Andrews House in Edinburgh, while Dover House in Whitehall remained both the residence of the Scottish Secretary in London and also the office dealing with parliamentary procedure.
Developments after 1945
After the Second World War, the Secretary of State was given additional responsibilities including hydro-electricity, assistance to agriculture, the National Health Service, town and country planning, forestry, civil defence, childcare and various other subjects. He acquired responsibility for roads and bridges from the Minster of Transport. In 1960 to 1962, internal changes in the Scottish Office resulted in the reconstitution of four departments:
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland (NRS reference AF)
- Scottish Development Department (NRS reference DD) with functions relating to local government, town and country planning, housing, roads, environmental services, electricity, and (since 1968) passenger transport and Highland development
- Scottish Education Department (NRS reference ED)
- Scottish Home and Health Department (NRS reference HH) which discharges the Secretary of State's responsibilities for health services and law and order.
The 1960s and 1970s saw the establishment of a number of new boards and commissions:
- The Crofters' Commission (1956)
- Mental Welfare Commission (1961), successors to the General Commissioners
- Scottish Economic Planning Council (1965) advised the Secretary of State on economic matters and worked closely with the Scottish Economic Planning Board, consisting of representatives of all the departments concerned, under a Scottish Office chairman.
- The Countryside Commission for Scotland (1967)
- The Scottish Development Agency (SDA) established in 1975 to attract inward investment for Scottish industry.
During this period the Scottish office itself also gained a number of functions:
- a Regional Development Division was established in 1964 to co-ordinate the work of various departments both Scottish and UK wide concerned with economic development.
- responsibility for the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland was transferred in 1966 to the Secretary of State (ie the Development Department) from the Ministry of Building and Works, followed by responsibility for ancient monuments, royal parks and palaces in 1969.
- the Social Work Services Group was formed in 1967 (within the Education Department to re-organise the services regulated under the Social Work (S) Act 1968.
- the Scottish Economic Planning Department was formed in 1973 with responsibility for oil-related development, electricity supply and new towns. It was also responsible for the Highlands and Islands Development Board (established 1966) and the Scottish Tourist Board and, from 1975 the administration of regional selective assistance from the Department of Trade and Industry's Office in Glasgow.
Conservative governments between 1979 and 1997 were responsible for the hiving off of a number of government functions and departments and the creation of executive agencies with varying degrees of autonomy:
- Student Awards Agency
- Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
- Registers of Scotland
Similarly, the SDA and HIDB were reconstituted in 1992 with differing structures and functions, as Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, respectively.
