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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

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: 26 June 2025

Gull Control

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "I ask those who are leaving the public gallery to do so as quickly and quietly as possible as we move to the next item of business, which is a members’ business debate in the name of Douglas Ross on motion S6M-17969, on action to address the impact of gulls in Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I invite Douglas…

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Gull Control

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "I ask those who are leaving the public gallery to do so as quickly and quietly as possible as we move to the next item of business, which is a members’ business debate in the name of Douglas Ross on motion S6M-17969, on action to address the impact of gulls in Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put. I invite Douglas…

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-18076, in the name of Kaukab Stewart, on the legislative consent motion for the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation…

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Product Regulation and Metrology Bill

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-18080, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on a legislative consent motion on the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation…

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Employment Rights Bill

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-18075, in the name of Richard Leonard—sorry, Richard Lochhead; we need the summer recess—on a legislative consent motion on the Employment Rights Bill, which is United Kingdom legislation…

Votes

How Liam McArthur has voted in Parliament

Find out how Liam McArthur has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-18081

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Natalie Don-Innes, Renfrewshire North and West, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Supported by: Graeme Dey, Jenny Gilruth
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 87 for, 0 against, 28 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18075

Employment Rights Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Richard Lochhead, Moray, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 23, 2025

Supported by: Tom Arthur, Kate Forbes
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 88 for, 1 against, 27 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18076

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Kaukab Stewart, Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 23, 2025

Supported by: Shirley-Anne Somerville
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 86 for, 0 against, 28 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18080

Product Regulation and Metrology Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Richard Lochhead, Moray, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 80 for, 0 against, 34 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18133

Suspension of Standing Orders

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Result 82 for, 29 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote

MSP voted for

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. S6W-39181

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 8 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reviewing and updating the cross-compliance requirements for semi-natural grasslands, in light of new cross-compliance requirements coming into effect for peatlands and wetlands under the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions standards."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

Question ref. S6W-38830

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-38221 and S6W-38222 by Marie Todd on 17 June 2025, whether its answer means that fewer than five people under 18 have been subject to a place of safety order in each of the last five years, and, if this is not the case, in which of the last five years there were more than five…

Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 July 2025

Question ref. S6W-38831

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38220 by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025, what analysis it has carried out of whether missing data may reflect a failure to fulfil the legal obligations set out in section 298 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and, in the event that these legal obligations…

Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 July 2025

Question ref. S6W-38834

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38218 by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025, what analysis it has undertaken to explore to what extent the reported reduction in the number of people detained in police stations under a place of safety order may simply reflect missing data, rather than an actual reduction."

Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025

Question ref. S6W-38833

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38218 by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025, whether it has attempted to estimate the "true" proportion of people detained in police stations under a place of safety order, adjusting for any missing data and data collection practices, and, if so, what estimates it has made."

Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025

Question ref. S6W-38688

Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, regarding virtual attendance at criminal court, whether it remains its position that "all stakeholders are of the view that the provisions…work well as currently framed", in light of the comments by the (a) Faculty of Advocates that "valuable court time is regularly lost due to delays in establishing remote…

Answered by Angela Constance on 1 July 2025

Question ref. S6W-38686

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

"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the reported criminal trials backlog had been cleared as of March 2025, and, if it does not consider it has been cleared, when it anticipates it will be."

Answered by Angela Constance on 26 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38697

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

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include any provisions in the proposed Heat in Buildings Bill specifically relating to buildings in rural and island areas."

Answered by Mairi McAllan on 24 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38684

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

"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the definition of "backlog" as referring to "the outstanding scheduled trials that are above the normal operating capacity of 20,000", as set out in the 2023 Auditor General report, Criminal courts backlog."

Answered by Angela Constance on 24 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38685

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

"To ask the Scottish Government what metric it would use to determine (a) whether and (b) when any criminal trials backlog has been cleared."

Answered by Angela Constance on 24 June 2025

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