Liam McArthur
Scottish Liberal Democrats
MSP for Orkney Islands (Constituency) 2011 - present day
Former MSP for Orkney (Constituency) 2007 - 2011
About Liam McArthur
Contact details
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5815
Text relay calls welcome.
Contact at local office
14 Palace Road
Kirkwall
Orkney Islands
KW15 1PA
Phone: 01856 876541
Text relay calls welcome.
Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.
Committees
Liam is a member of 1 committee
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Liam is a member of 10 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on End of Life Choices
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Islands
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Japan
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Malawi
Co-Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on MS
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Rugby Development in Scotland
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Scotch Whisky
Member
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Liam has 2 parliamentary and government roles
Conveners Group
Convener
Deputy Presiding Officer
Pàrlamaid na h-Alba
Party Roles
Liam has 2 party roles
Party Spokesperson on Justice
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Party Spokesperson on the Climate Emergency
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Previous roles
Liam has had 25 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
06 October 2021 - 01 February 2023
Rural Affairs Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Substitute Member
18 November 2020 - 14 September 2021
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Branch Executive
Member
06 May 2021 - 27 August 2021
Party Spokesperson on Energy
Scottish Liberal Democrats
22 June 2021 - 26 August 2021
Rural Affairs Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Deputy Convener
17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021
Rural Affairs Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Member
19 May 2016 - 20 May 2021
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
Appointed Member
29 May 2016 - 04 May 2021
Party Spokesperson on Justice
Scottish Liberal Democrats
29 May 2016 - 04 May 2021
Party Spokesperson on the Environment
Scottish Liberal Democrats
06 October 2016 - 04 May 2021
Justice SubCommittee on Policing
Member
08 June 2016 - 04 May 2021
Justice Committee
Member
08 November 2016 - 04 May 2021
Education and Skills Committee
Substitute Member
29 August 2017 - 04 May 2021
Presiding Officer's Advisory Group
Member
25 May 2011 - 19 May 2016
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
Appointed Member
20 May 2011 - 23 March 2016
Party Spokesperson on Education and Young People
Scottish Liberal Democrats
20 May 2011 - 23 March 2016
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Energy
Scottish Liberal Democrats
01 June 2011 - 23 March 2016
Education and Culture Committee
Member
23 June 2011 - 23 March 2016
Public Audit Committee
Substitute Member
01 September 2008 - 22 March 2011
Party Spokesperson on Rural Development
Scottish Liberal Democrats
01 September 2008 - 22 March 2011
Party Spokesperson on the Environment
Scottish Liberal Democrats
03 September 2008 - 22 March 2011
Finance Committee
Substitute Member
03 September 2008 - 22 March 2011
Rural Affairs and Environment Committee
Member
21 June 2007 - 02 September 2008
Economy Energy and Tourism Committee
Substitute Member
13 June 2007 - 02 September 2008
Finance Committee
Member
24 May 2007 - 01 September 2008
Party Spokesperson on Enterprise
Scottish Liberal Democrats
24 May 2007 - 01 September 2008
Party Spokesperson on Tourism
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Register of interests
Liam's register of interests
MSPs must provide details of their financial interests in the Register of Interests. They make an initial statement on becoming or being returned as an MSP. This is then updated with any changes they provide.
Recent Activity
What was said
What Liam McArthur has said in Parliament
These are the official transcripts of what was said by this MSP in the chamber and at committee meetings. You'll find the topic discussed and how many times this MSP has contributed to the discussion.
Chamber meeting date: 26 September 2023
Climate Emergency
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "I call Kevin Stewart, to be followed by Alex Rowley. You have a generous six minutes, Mr Stewart. 15:08"
Chamber meeting date: 26 September 2023
Decision Time
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I had the same issue, and I would have voted no."
Chamber meeting date: 21 September 2023
Summit on Tackling Violence in Schools
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "Thank you, cabinet secretary."
Chamber meeting date: 21 September 2023
National Allowance for Foster and Kinship Care
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "Colette Stevenson has a supplementary question. Please be very brief."
Chamber meeting date: 21 September 2023
Education and Skills
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "Good afternoon, colleagues. The first item of business this afternoon is portfolio questions on education and skills. I invite members who wish to ask a supplementary question to press their request-to-speak button during the relevant question…
Votes
How Liam McArthur has voted in Parliament
Find out how Liam McArthur has voted recently.
Climate Emergency: Ambition and Action
Submitted by: Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, September 25, 2023
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Mercedes Villalba
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Result 51 for, 64 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Climate Emergency: Ambition and Action
Result 52 for, 64 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Climate Emergency: Ambition and Action
Submitted by: Màiri McAllan, Clydesdale, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, September 25, 2023
Supported by: Patrick Harvie, Fiona Hyslop, Richard Lochhead
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Result 86 for, 29 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Climate Emergency: Ambition and Action
Result 28 for, 88 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Approval of SSI
Submitted by: George Adam, Paisley, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Result 83 for, 27 against, 3 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP abstained
Vote Passed
Motions
Motions made by Liam McArthur in Parliament
Find out what motions Liam McArthur has submitted recently.
Questions
Questions Liam McArthur has asked
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 26 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to apply its proposed Energy Performance Certificate reforms to traditional buildings, and whether consideration has been given to changes to the building standards or minimum energy requirements for such properties."
Answer expected on 24 October 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 14 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government in how many cases family members overrode their relatives' (a) express and (b) deemed authorisation for organ donation after death, in each of the last 10 years."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 September 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 14 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many people made a non-directed kidney donation in each of the last five years."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 September 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 14 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-06805 by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022, how many hours of purposeful activity prisoners had, on average, per week in (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023, broken down by prison."
Answered by Angela Constance on 26 September 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 13 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many properties have received Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan funding, since the scheme was established."
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 26 September 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 13 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20398 by Patrick Harvie on 31 August 2023, how many properties have installed one or more renewable systems measures with funding from the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme, broken down by the measures installed at each property, since the scheme was established."
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 26 September 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 13 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many properties have received Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan funding for one or more energy efficiency measures, since the scheme was established."
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 26 September 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 25 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to apply its proposed energy performance certification reforms to listed buildings, including whether any consideration has been given to (a) exemptions for such properties and (b) changes to regulations governing listed building consent to facilitate net zero retrofitting measures."
Answer expected on 23 October 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 25 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many properties have had energy efficiency measures installed through funding from the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme since it was introduced."
Answer expected on 23 October 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated for the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme in (a) total and (b) each year since the scheme was introduced."
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 25 September 2023
See all of Liam McArthur's questions submitted in Parliament