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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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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 online

X (previously known as Twitter): @Liam4Orkney

Facebook: Liam's facebook

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

Cross-party groups

Liam is a member of 9 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 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Scotch Whisky

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Ukraine

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

08 June 2016 - 04 May 2021

Justice Committee

Member

06 October 2016 - 04 May 2021

Justice SubCommittee on Policing

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: 14 May 2025

Constitutional Strategy (Fiscal Autonomy)

The Deputy Presiding Officer: "I will take two supplementaries, but they need to be brief, as do the responses."

Chamber meeting date: 14 May 2025

Museums Capacity and Support Programme

The Deputy Presiding Officer: "We have a very brief supplementary from Alexander Stewart."

Chamber meeting date: 14 May 2025

Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, and Parliamentary Business

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "Good afternoon. The first item of business is portfolio questions, and the first portfolio is constitution, external affairs and culture, and parliamentary business. I advise members that there is a lot of interest in asking supplementary questions…

Chamber meeting date: 14 May 2025

Shoplifting

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "Through the chair, please."

Chamber meeting date: 14 May 2025

Drug Driving (Highlands and Islands)

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "Before I call the cabinet secretary, I note that we need Ms Roddick’s camera to be switched on."

Votes

How Liam McArthur has voted in Parliament

Find out how Liam McArthur has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-17525

Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry

Submitted by: Douglas Lumsden, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, May 12, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Result 61 for, 55 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17525.3

Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry

Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Supported by: Alasdair Allan
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Result 61 for, 56 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17416

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill

Submitted by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Result 70 for, 56 against, 1 abstained, 1 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17437.1

Programme for Government: Building the Best Future for Scotland

Submitted by: Jamie Greene, West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Result 30 for, 84 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17437

Programme for Government: Building the Best Future for Scotland

Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Friday, May 2, 2025

Supported by: Tom Arthur, Richard Lochhead, Paul McLennan, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Result 59 for, 55 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motions

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.

Question ref. S6O-04667

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 7 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has undertaken with the education sector in island communities, such as Orkney, which are reportedly seeing increasing pressures around funding and staff retention, particularly in relation to the provision of additional support for learning."

Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2025

Question ref. S6O-04630

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 30 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to introduce a cruise ship levy, including the option for local authorities to apply a "point of entry" levy."

Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2025

Question ref. S6O-04543

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 26 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to provide continuity of funding through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund."

Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-35435

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 6 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how the £4 million of investment for the hospice sector, outlined in its Budget for 2025-26, will be used to bring hospice staff under the Agenda for Change terms and conditions, and what the proposed timeline is for fulfilling this commitment."

Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35476

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 6 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact of proposed employer national insurance charge increases on GP practices in Scotland, including whether there is an option for applying exemption thresholds."

Answered by Neil Gray on 17 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35448

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 6 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35124 by Angela Constance on 4 March 2025, whether any of the liquidated damages provisions contained in the contract for HMP Barlinnie have been triggered, and if so, how much was paid."

Answered by Angela Constance on 17 March 2025

Question ref. S6O-04467

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 12 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there is adequate access to support in schools for children with additional support needs in island areas, including the Orkney constituency."

Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35477

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 6 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to renegotiate the current GP contract."

Answered by Neil Gray on 12 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35218

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 26 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government on what dates since 2011 were any costs of HMP Highland communicated to the Scottish Government, and what the estimated costs were on each date."

Answered by Angela Constance on 11 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35220

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 26 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government which contractors bid to build HMP Highland."

Answered by Angela Constance on 11 March 2025

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