Skip to main content
Loading…
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
Image description

Andrew Baxter

Scottish Liberal Democrats

MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch (Constituency)

About Andrew Baxter

Contact details

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Career as MSP

Career as MSP

Scottish Liberal Democrats
MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch (Constituency)
07 May 2026 to present

Committees

Andrew Baxter is a member of 1 committee

Rural Affairs Committee

Member

Cross-party groups

Andrew Baxter is not a member of any cross-party groups

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Andrew Baxter does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Andrew Baxter has 1 party role

Spokesperson for Rural Affairs

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Previous roles

Andrew Baxter does not have any previous roles

Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.

Register of interests

Andrew Baxter'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.

Here is the register for Andrew Baxter. The date of their initial statement was 20 May 2026.

Remuneration and related undertaking

I am a local authority Councillor for Highland Council (Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5NX). I spend in the region of 20-30 hours per week on this role. I receive remuneration of between £25,001 and £30,000 per annum and use of a laptop. The basic rate of the councillor salary is deducted from my MSP salary.

Until 31 May 2026, I was Chief of Staff for Angus MacDonald MP (House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA). I spent in the region of 24 hours per week on this role. I received remuneration of between £30,001 and £35,000 per annum.

Gifts

No registrable interests.

Overseas visits

No registrable interests.

Controlled transactions

No registrable interests.

Heritable property

No registrable interests.

Interest in shares

No registrable interests.

Voluntary

I am a non-practicing member of the Scottish Tourist Guide Association (as a qualified Green Badge Guide).

Recent Activity

Official Report

What Andrew Baxter 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.

Pupil Support Assistants (Rural Primary Schools)

Chamber meeting date: 16 June 2026

Andrew Baxter (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (LD): "I refer to my entry in the register of interests, which shows that I am a sitting councillor on Highland Council…

Maritime and Coastguard Agency (Payments)

Chamber meeting date: 16 June 2026

Andrew Baxter (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (LD): "When the call comes, coastguard rescue officers drop everything, leaving work, family and home to help to save lives…

Public Service Reform (Staff, Service Users and Local Communities)

Chamber meeting date: 11 June 2026

Andrew Baxter (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (LD): "I am glad that the cabinet secretary has got on to talking about prevention, which was a central tenet of the Christie commission report…

Antisocial Behaviour

Chamber meeting date: 11 June 2026

Andrew Baxter (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (LD): "I direct members to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a serving member of Highland Council. I thank Colin Beattie for securing the debate…

Better Surfaces Fund

Chamber meeting date: 10 June 2026

Andrew Baxter (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (LD): "I direct members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a Highland councillor."

Votes

How Andrew Baxter has voted in Parliament

Find out how Andrew Baxter has voted recently.

Suspension of Standing Orders

Motion ref. S7M-00397

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 108 for, 10 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Appointment of Law Officers

Motion ref. S7M-00380

Submitted by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 102 for, 16 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Affordable Bus Fares

Motion ref. S7M-00367.4

Submitted by: Craig Hoy, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 10 for, 107 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Affordable Bus Fares

Motion ref. S7M-00367.1

Submitted by: Graham Simpson, Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK . Date lodged: Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 23 for, 78 against, 15 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Affordable Bus Fares

Motion ref. S7M-00367

Submitted by: Stephen Flynn, Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 15, 2026

Supported by: Tom Arthur
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 93 for, 26 against, 0 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motions

Motions made by Andrew Baxter in Parliament

Find out what motions Andrew Baxter has submitted recently.

Questions

Questions Andrew Baxter has asked

These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.

Question reference: S7W-00610

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 28 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with disability organisations in the Highlands and Islands regarding the impact of proposed changes to the Motability scheme."

Question reference: S7W-00612

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 28 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether ministers have raised concerns directly with the UK Government regarding the risk of increasing social isolation for service users living in rural Scotland that the changes to the Motability scheme could create."

Question reference: S7W-00609

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 28 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing mitigation measures to support Motability users in remote rural and island communities in Scotland who may be disproportionately affected by reduced mileage allowances."

Question reference: S7W-00607

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 28 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has undertaken of the additional mileage requirements experienced by Motability users in rural and island communities when accessing healthcare appointments, employment, education and essential services."

Question reference: S7W-00608

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 28 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Motability Operations regarding the introduction of any rural or island exemptions to revised mileage limits and excess mileage charges."

Question reference: S7W-00611

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 28 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a Rural Communities Impact Assessment regarding changes to Motability mileage allowances and excess mileage charges."

Question reference: S7O-00066

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 10 June 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how any reduction in hours or withdrawal of pupil support assistant posts will impact rural primary schools, particularly in the Highlands and Islands region."

Question reference: S7W-00606

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 28 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken an assessment of any impact of reduced Motability mileage allowances on service users living in the Highlands and Islands and, if so, what the outcome of that assessment was."

Question reference: S7W-00605

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 28 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Motability Operations regarding the impact of revised mileage caps and excess mileage charges on service users living in rural, remote rural and island communities in Scotland."

Question reference: S7W-00223

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged: 21 May 2026

Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 June 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the creation of a dedicated Gaelic speaker work visa to allow fluent Gaelic speakers from overseas to fill Gaelic-medium posts in Scotland."