The Scottish Government's new team of cabinet secretaries and junior ministers has been officially appointed by Holyrood.

The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously to confirm the appointments put forward by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon after she unveiled her choices on Wednesday.

Speaking in Holyrood, she said: "This is a serious government with a serious job to do in the months and years to come, and we look forward to getting on with that work."

Notable changes to the Cabinet included the appointment of former finance secretary John Swinney to the role of education secretary - reflecting the importance Ms Sturgeon places on closing the attainment gap in schools during the course of this parliament.

There were also promotions to Cabinet-level posts for former transport minister Derek Mackay, who will split the former finance brief with new economy secretary Keith Brown, and for former energy minister Fergus Ewing, appointed as rural economy cabinet secretary.

Former environment secretary Richard Lochhead and former social justice secretary Alex Neil resigned from the government.

In the junior ministerial team, Mark McDonald, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Jeane Freeman and Kevin Stewart all took up new posts.

Sturgeon said: "I said throughout the election campaign that raising attainment would be the defining mission of my government for the next five years and I have asked the deputy first minister John Swinney to lead this mission.

"I believe there is no better person to drive forward this government's ambitions on education."

The vote on ministerial appointments provided opposition parties the opportunity for a few light-hearted exchanges.

Deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives Jackson Carlaw highlighted promotions for the SNP's "enfants terribles", Mr Mackay and new transport minister Humza Yousaf.

Carlaw said: "Those who have followed their careers will know they have shadow-boxed each other every way along the line.

"Mr Mackay has hit the tape first but Mr Yousaf now has the opportunity to match our Flying Scotsman.

"He now realises he will be able to stand on that new Forth crossing when it opens, and borrowing from his election campaign, he has already has the t-shirts made - 'Yousaf to cross Humza's bridge'."

He added: "Like the steel though, they'll be made in China."

On a more serious note, Carlaw noted Swinney was taking on a "very formidable challenge" in the education portfolio, and welcomed the creation of a dedicated mental health minister, with Maureen Watt filling the role.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale congratulated the First Minister on achieving a gender-balanced Cabinet.

"The First Minister and I share a desire to see a 50/50 Parliament," said Dugdale.

The Labour leader added her party hoped Mr Swinney would succeed in his new role in addressing educational inequality but said he has been responsible for local government cuts which will affect education services.

Dugdale said: "The new Education Secretary will have our support when he does the right thing, but I know that hundreds of millions of (pounds worth) of cuts that he made in his old job make his new job all the more difficult.

"All the ministers who have been appointed and reappointed today face significant challenges and we will challenge them too.

"However in all portfolios there is common ground and we look forward to working with them there."

The Scottish Greens and Lib Dems also welcomed the Scottish Government's new ministerial team.

Green MSP John Finnie congratulated the new ministers, adding he hoped Ms Sturgeon's minority government would "look left rather right for ideas and support".

"The Scottish Green Party will be constructive, praise when appropriate, and be constructively critical when required," he said.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "We may disagree profoundly on some matters, I am sure we'll agree on many others, and I am looking forward to working together with the new ministerial team for the benefit of our country."