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
Email: [email protected]
Website: liammcarthur.org.uk
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 their Constituency
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, Islands and Natural Environment Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Liam is a member of 5 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Japan
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Scotch Whisky
Member
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Liam has 1 parliamentary and government role
Deputy Presiding Officer
Scottish Parliament
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 15 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
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 November 2016 - 04 May 2021
Education and Skills Committee
Substitute Member
06 October 2016 - 04 May 2021
Justice SubCommittee on Policing
Member
08 June 2016 - 04 May 2021
Justice Committee
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.
Here is the register for Liam McArthur. The date of their initial statement was 20 May 2021.
Remuneration and related undertaking
No registrable interests
Gifts
From 27 to 28 October 2011 I participated in a trip to the Elgin-Franklin oil and gas installation to learn more about the industry and how it operates. Total E&P UK (an oil and gas exploration and production company of Crawpeel Road, Altens, Aberdeen, AB12 3FG) met the costs of this visit which were approximately £1,750. This included coach and helicopter transport, accommodation and safety clothing.
Overseas visits
From 7 to 11 October 2014 I was part of a cross-party delegation of MSPs who visited the Republic of China (Taiwan) at the invitation of the Director General, Taipei Representative Office (Edinburgh Office) in the UK, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China Department (of 1 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7PE). The delegation held meetings with a number of Government departments, trade and cultural organisations including; President MA Ying-Jeou and Madame Ma, Scottish Development International (Taiwan Office), Ministry of Transport and Communication, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taipei City Council, Straits Exchange Foundation, British Trade and Cultural Office, Hsinchu Science Park, Green Energy and Environment Research Lab, King Car Whisky Distillery and the National Centre for Traditional Arts. The cost of the visit was; air ticket £2,780, accommodation £528, bus £133, high speed rail £12, food £163, tickets for 101, opera and hot spring £59. The total cost was £3,675 met in its entirety by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). I also received gifts, which included a vase, a tie and tie pin, a glass ornament and a book. The value of the items are below the threshold for registration in the gifts category.
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
I am the Chair of the Orkney Japan Association.
In August 2010 I became an honorary patron of the British Veterinary Association. My role involves raising awareness of the BVA’s role and receiving information on activities and attitudes of the BVA, including access to the members only section of the BVA website. This role is unremunerated. I estimate that the value of gaining access to the website is below the threshold for registration in the gifts category. On 12 August 2021 I became a lifetime member. [Amended interest 27 August 2021]
I am a Girl Guide Ambassador.
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: 7 October 2021
Lifelong Learning and Reskilling (Rural Areas)
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "There are a couple of supplementaries."
Chamber meeting date: 7 October 2021
Education and Skills
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur): "Good afternoon. I remind members of the Covid-related measures that are in place, and that face coverings should be worn when moving around the chamber and across the Holyrood campus…
Chamber meeting date: 7 October 2021
National Digital Academy
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "Question 6 is from Sarah Boyack, who joins us remotely."
Chamber meeting date: 7 October 2021
Scottish National Standardised Assessments
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "We have a couple of supplementary questions."
Chamber meeting date: 7 October 2021
Schools (Scottish Literature)
The Deputy Presiding Officer: "Question 8 has not been lodged. That therefore concludes portfolio questions. I note that all the members who need to be present for the next item of business are here, so we will move on to that shortly."
Votes
How Liam McArthur has voted in Parliament
Find out how Liam McArthur has voted recently.
Carer's Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Ben Macpherson, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Supported by: Shona Robison
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 118 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 51 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 51 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 51 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 50 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Liam McArthur in Parliament
Find out what motions Liam McArthur has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Liam McArthur has submitted in Parliament
These are the questions that this MSP has asked the Scottish Government about its work. It also includes any answer to these questions.
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 26 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government whether, under its proposed short-term let licensing regime, some types of tourist accommodation, such as hotels, serviced accommodation, mobile accommodation and licensed caravans, will be exempt from licensing in respect of health and safety, but with this being mandatory for bed and breakfast and self-catering…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 26 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how many electric vehicle charging units have been installed in each of the last five years in places where commercial operators had not started to invest, also broken down by local authority area."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 25 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how many trees it has planted in each year since 2016, broken down by local authority area."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-00179 by Keith Brown on 21 September 2021 and, specifically, the assertion that “where recommendations are made, the priority is to ensure that they are acted upon”, and based on the understanding that there is no national oversight mechanism or statutory mandate for…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the report, Nothing to See Here…
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the time taken to complete a fatal accident inquiry into the death in custody of a young person, what is (a) the average time taken and (b) the longest time taken in each of the past five years."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-00179 by Keith Brown on 21 September 2021, whether it will provide the dataset used to arrive at the assertion about the number of fatal accident inquiry recommendations."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-00179 by Keith Brown on 21 September 2021, how many of the 18 recommendations are being or have been implemented."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 27 September 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to publish an updated islands communities impact assessment to accompany its revised short-term let licensing order."
Answered by: Shona Robison on 22 October 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish its remote, rural and island housing action plan."
Answered by: Shona Robison on 22 October 2021
See all of Liam McArthur's written questions submitted in Parliament