Scottish finance secretary Kate Forbes has announced she is expecting her first child this summer.
The MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch said she and her husband Ali were delighted with the news.
The minister, 31, is the first serving Cabinet Secretary in the Scottish Government to take maternity leave.
She is not leaving government and will remain Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy while on leave, resuming her duties upon her return.
Forbes said: "All being well, we’re looking forward to welcoming a new member of the family in the summer.
"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 normal.”
Forbes and her partner Ali MacLennan tied the knot at a church service in Dingwall last July.
She added: "I have an even deeper admiration for the thousands of women across the country who balance both work and personal responsibilities.
"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 often 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.”
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