He will temporarily return to government from July 2024 as Acting Minister for Climate Action, during the maternity leave of Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Màiri McAllan.

[4] He devoted his time and employment to the Scottish National Party in Peterhead, working for Alex Salmond, the former First Minister of Scotland, and he subsequently became assistant to Michael Russell.

[5] Previous to becoming an MSP, Alasdair was senior media relations officer for the Church of Scotland.

[7] Allan was next in line to become a list MSP for North East Scotland when Richard Lochhead resigned to fight the Moray by-election, however he decided instead to devote himself to contesting Na h-Eileanan an Iar, a key Labour–SNP marginal seat in the 2007 Scottish Parliament election.

Allan voted against same-sex marriage in Scotland, saying "the view which so many of my constituents have expressed to me has a right to be recorded" – in contrast to the position of the majority of the SNP government.