Scottish Greens co-leaders Harvie and Slater to be given minister roles

The Scottish Green Party has confirmed that its co-leaders will become ministers if its deal with the Scottish government is approved.

On Saturday party members are due to vote on the agreement, which would take Greens into national government for the first time anywhere in the UK.

If approved, Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater will be given minister roles.

The power-sharing agreement between the pro-independence Scottish Greens and the SNP was announced last week.

It is understood the two Green ministers would have responsibility for areas of environmental and social justice policy and would work across several different departments.

The co-leaders could expect to earn an extra £30,000 a year each on top of their MSP salaries.

While they would not serve in the Scottish Cabinet, they might be invited to attend from time to time.

Mr Harvie and Ms Slater's appointments are expected to be made next week by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The new ministers would be additions to the government so SNP ministers would not lose their jobs to make way for them.

Following her party's confirmation of the ministerial proposals, Lorna Slater said it was time for Scotland "to step up efforts to decarbonise our economy and invest in a greener, independent future".

She added: "The co-operation agreement we've negotiated would put Greens at the heart of decision-making at this crucial time and if our members endorse it then I look forward to driving change in government."

Patrick Harvie said if party members backed the plan, "they can be assured that we'll waste no time getting to work to deliver on their transformative agenda".

He said: "With Greens in government we would be able to deliver positive change like tackling Scotland's emissions, protecting nature, advancing tenants' rights, bringing forward overdue equalities legislation and delivering an independence referendum."

The Greens have signed up to the bulk of the government's policy - but there will also be areas where they are in disagreement with the SNP, and they will be able to criticise it on those points.

These excluded areas include aviation policy, international relations, policy on fee-paying schools, fox hunting and Nato membership if Scotland becomes independent.

The co-operation agreement says the two parties will work together to provide "effective and responsible leadership for Scotland for this session of the Scottish Parliament, in the interests of Scotland, of the people who live in Scotland, and of future generations".

It says they will secure a referendum on Scottish independence "within the current parliamentary session on a specific date to be determined by the Scottish Parliament".

They have also committed to holding a referendum on Scottish independence within the next five years, and preferably by the end of 2023.