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 17 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
08 June 2016 - 04 May 2021
Justice Committee
Member
08 November 2016 - 04 May 2021
Education and Skills Committee
Substitute Member
06 October 2016 - 04 May 2021
Justice SubCommittee on Policing
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
23 June 2011 - 23 March 2016
Public Audit Committee
Substitute Member
01 June 2011 - 23 March 2016
Education and Culture Committee
Member
03 September 2008 - 22 March 2011
Finance Committee
Substitute Member
03 September 2008 - 22 March 2011
Rural Affairs and Environment Committee
Member
13 June 2007 - 02 September 2008
Finance Committee
Member
21 June 2007 - 02 September 2008
Economy Energy and Tourism Committee
Substitute Member
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: 2 February 2023
Ferries Task Force (Orkney)
4. Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the ferries task force with Orkney Islands Council. (S6O-01863)"
Chamber meeting date: 2 February 2023
Education and Skills
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "Good afternoon, colleagues. The first item of business this afternoon is portfolio question time, and the portfolio this time round is education and skills…
Chamber meeting date: 2 February 2023
South Lanarkshire College (Dismissal of Principal)
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "Please ask a question."
Chamber meeting date: 2 February 2023
Higher National Qualifications (Articulation)
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "I call Meghan Gallacher, briefly."
Chamber meeting date: 2 February 2023
Foster Carers (Recruitment)
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "I call Roz McCall for a brief supplementary question."
Votes
How Liam McArthur has voted in Parliament
Find out how Liam McArthur has voted recently.
Budget (Scotland) (No. 2) Bill
Submitted by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Supported by: George Adam, Tom Arthur, Richard Lochhead, Ivan McKee, Lorna Slater, Nicola Sturgeon
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, February 2, 2023
Result 68 for, 56 against, 0 abstained, 5 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Three Years On - Brexit and Workers’ Rights
Submitted by: Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, January 30, 2023
Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Result 24 for, 96 against, 0 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Three Years On - Brexit and Workers’ Rights
Submitted by: Richard Lochhead, Moray, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, January 30, 2023
Supported by: Tom Arthur, Ivan McKee, John Swinney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Result 90 for, 30 against, 0 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Revision to Business Programme
Submitted by: Russell Findlay, West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Supported by: Alexander Burnett, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Pam Gosal, Rachael Hamilton, Craig Hoy, Stephen Kerr, Douglas Ross, Sue Webber, Tess White
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Result 51 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Business Programme
Submitted by: Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Supported by: Finlay Carson, Sharon Dowey, Murdo Fraser, Jamie Greene, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Roz McCall, Liz Smith, Sue Webber
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Result 54 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
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: 19 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government, with reference to the recently published Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill, whether its commitment to make changes in relation to the provision of secure accommodation and the regulation of secure accommodation services, including those services that take children from other parts of the UK, will include…
Answered by Clare Haughey on 1 February 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Prison Service regarding the development and publication of its revised mental health strategy for people in custody, which was originally due in 2021."
Answered by Keith Brown on 31 January 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 20 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timeframe for implementation of the Air Departure Tax."
Answered by Tom Arthur on 30 January 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 20 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government when the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board will report on its findings and proposals."
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 January 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 20 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Climate Change Committee’s assessment in its Progress in reducing emissions in Scotland – 2022 Report to Parliament that "Agroforestry and hedgerows offer the opportunity to increase carbon stocks on farms while allowing agricultural production to continue", and whether it will…
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 January 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the findings in the report, Still Nothing to See Here…
Answered by Keith Brown on 30 January 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates the Scottish Prison Service will publish its revised mental health strategy for people in custody."
Answered by Keith Brown on 30 January 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 27 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09982 by Jenny Gilruth on 16 August 2022, how much funding is currently available in the current financial year to help purchase (a) new and (b) used electric vehicles through interest-free loans."
Answer expected on 10 February 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 25 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the ferries task force with Orkney Islands Council."
Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2023
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 24 January 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its consultation on proposals to improve energy efficiency in non-domestic buildings."
Answer expected on 7 February 2023
See all of Liam McArthur's questions submitted in Parliament