The full text of the exchange of letters between Helen Liddell and Tony Blair.

Dear Tony,

It has been the greatest honour to serve in your government and I want to thank you for all the opportunities you have given me, not least as the first woman secretary of state for Scotland.

My main priority has been to establish stability and partnership with the Scottish executive and that I believe has been achieved. I am confident that the actions your government has taken in establishing a Scottish parliament has given Scotland a secure constitutional settlement into the future.

However, when we spoke in January, I told you my mind was moving on to other things. After six years in government I want to reclaim my private life, not least to allow me to enjoy more time with my husband, my family and friends.

I am proud to have been a member of your Cabinet. You have provided leadership with compassion and the journey we have taken since 1997 has created a stronger, more modern country.

My personal support and regard for you remain total.

Yours,

Helen

Dear Helen

Thank you for your very kind letter.

You can be very proud of the distinguished service you have given to the Government over the past six years.

As Secretary of State for Scotland, you have played an essential role in strengthening the Government's partnership with the Scottish Executive and in bedding down the devolution settlement which has, in my view, strengthened the UK and helped create a better, stronger Scotland.

It is a result of that success that we are now able to make changes to the way that the Westminster Government handles Scottish issues, and I want to thank you for the constructive and selfless way in which you have approached our discussions on this.

You can be proud too of your achievements as a Treasury minister - in particular, in dealing with the mis-selling of personal pensions as well as your role in helping to expedite miners' compensation payments at the Department of Trade and Industry.

I have valued greatly your abilities as a minister and your unstinting personal and political support over the years. However, I know from the discussion we had in January that, having helped Scotland make the transition post devolution, you now wish to do other things and to be able to see more of your family.

I wish you and them all the best for the future.

Yours ever,

Tony