In June, McAveety announced that the struggling Scottish Opera would eliminate its full-time chorus and go dark for the 2005-06 season as part of a Ô£7 million bailout deal. The decision drew howls of protest from musicians and other leading arts figures, and continues to be a source of controversy.

McVeety's replacement is Patricia Ferguson, a former administrator at the National Health Service, who apparently has no more experience in the arts than he did. Her appointment prompted arts executives to call for a dedicated culture minister. Culture, Catherine Lockerbie of the Edinburgh International Book Festival said, is "too important for a third of a ministerial portfolio."