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Mr Ian Gibson has just stepped down from the post of Director of Macmillan Cancer Relief for Scotland and Northern Ireland after nine years with the organisation. He is now a self-employed management consultant living in Newtonmore.

He has formerly been a Trustee of a homelessness charity, a Company Director of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care and Board member of Voluntary Health Scotland. His previous working experience includes hospital and ambulance service management as well as management of hotel service contracts for a private company. He does not hold any other ministerial appointments.

Mrs Ann Bethune is a freelance researcher and is a Research Associate of Leirsinn Research Centre for Gaelic, Sabhal Mor Ostaig. She is currently joint Vice-Chair of NHS Highland Research Ethics Committee and was Vice-Chair of Highland Health Council. She is also a lay reviewer with NHS Quality Assurance Scotland.

After more than 20 years in nursing, in the UK and the Middle East, she became a full-time student and gained a social science degree followed by an MSc in Medical Demography. She was a research analyst in the Medical Statistics Division of the Office for National Statistics in London before returning to her native Isle of Skye in 1996. She does not hold any other ministerial appointments.

Both appointments will be for four years from July 11 2005 until June 30 2009.

It is expected that as a Member they will contribute around eight hours per week for which the annual remuneration is £7,305.

Highland NHS Board is responsible for the strategic planning of health services and the development of measures to improve the health of the community in the Highland region. To meet those needs it has an annual budget of over £275 million.

These Ministerial appointments were made in accordance with Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland (OCPAS) Code of Practice.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Within the last five years, Mr Gibson has been actively involved with the Scottish Liberal Democrats Party where he has stood as a candidate for office, spoken on behalf of the party, held office as secretary of local party and canvassed on behalf of the party at elections. Mrs Bethune has not been involved in any political activity.