Ruth Davidson
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
MSP for Edinburgh Central (Constituency) 2016 - present day
Former MSP for Glasgow (Region) 2011 - 2016
About Ruth Davidson
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
Committees
Ruth is not a member of any committees
Cross-party groups
Ruth is not a member of any cross-party groups
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Ruth does not have any parliamentary or government roles
Party Roles
Ruth has 1 party role
Scottish Parliamentary Group Leader
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Previous roles
Ruth has had 4 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
10 September 2019 - 19 August 2020
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
Appointed Member
05 May 2016 - 29 August 2019
Party Leader
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
23 June 2011 - 25 January 2012
Education and Culture Committee
Substitute Member
01 June 2011 - 16 November 2011
Local Government and Regeneration Committee
Member
Register of interests
Ruth'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 Ruth Davidson. The date of their initial statement was 24 May 2016.
Remuneration and related undertaking
On 16 September 2019 I made a speech in London to the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) (a think tank on international defence and security of 61 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET). RUSI paid my return flights and accommodation at a cost of £622.06. [Registered 26 September 2019]
On 16th October 2020 I received £300 for a column I wrote for the Evening Standard Newspaper. The payment was made by The Evening Standard, ESI Media 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT [Registered 21 October 2020]
On 5 May 2019, I began a weekly column for the Mail on Sunday (Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS). I receive £300 for each contribution. [Registered 10 May 2019]
On 9 September 2019 I was paid £300 for an article I wrote for the UnHerd website by UNHERD LTD (a media company of Thomas House, 84 Eccleston Square, London, SW1V 1PX). [Registered 26 September 2019]
On 23 September 2019 I was paid £450 for a column I wrote for the Evening Standard newspaper by the Evening Standard Ltd (Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London, W8 5TT). [Registered 26 September 2019]
On 15 August 2017, I received payment of £3,000 from Unherd Limited (a media company of America House, Rumford Court, Rumford Place, Liverpool, L3 9DD) for an essay I was commissioned to write. [Registered 05 September 2017]
On 12 September 2016, I was commissioned to write a short series of 3 columns for The Daily Telegraph newspaper (of 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT). I receive remuneration of £500 per column. [Registered 22 September 2016]
On 2 July 2019 I was paid £300 for an article I wrote for the UnHerd Ltd website (a media company of Thomas House, 84 Eccleston Square London, SW1V 1PX). [Registered 3 July 2019]
On 17 December 2016, I received a book advance of £20,500 from Hodder and Stoughton (a publishing firm of Carmelite House, 50 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0DZ). This advance is for writing a book and I expect to spend 20 hours per month doing this. [Registered 13 January 2017]
On 13 October 2016 I appeared as a guest on the BBC’s “Have I Got News For You”. I received remuneration of £1,500 from Hattrick Productions (a television production company, of 10 Livonia Street, London, W1F 8AF), which produces the programme. They also paid for one night’s accommodation at Premier Inn London County Hall, Belvedere Road, London at a cost of £177. [Registered 01 November 2016]
On 20 September 2018 I received £12,946.92 from Hodder and Stoughton (a publishing firm of Carmelite House, 50 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0DZ). This money was for the delivery and publication of a book. On 13 March 2019 I received £6,833.04 from Hodder and Stoughton. This money was for the delivery and publication of the paperback version of a book. [Registered 2 October 2018, Amended Interest 28 March 2019]
On 21 May 2019 I received £5,000 from ITV Studios (a media firm of Trafford Warf Road, Manchester, M17 1FZ). This was for an appearance on The Celebrity Chase. I donated this fee, minus tax, to Maggie’s Centre (a charity of The Gatehouse, 10 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, G11 6PA). [Registered 12 June 2019]
On 1 October 2018 I received £1,000 from Hachette (a publishing firm of Carmelite House, 50 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0DZ). This was for supplying the audio read of a book. [Registered 2 October 2018]
On 16 October 2016 I appeared as a guest on the BBC’s “Great British Bake Off – An Extra Slice”. I received remuneration of £2,065 from Love Productions (a television production company, of 43 Eagle Street, London, WC1R 4AT), which produces the programme. They also paid for one night’s accommodation at Hilton London Bankside, Great Suffolk Street, London at a cost of £178.34 and a flight from Edinburgh Airport to London City Airport at a cost of £66.49. [Registered 11 November 2016]
Gifts
On Saturday 9 March 2013 I attended the Scotland v Wales Six Nations match as a guest of the Scottish Rugby Union (the governing body and promoter of Scottish rugby union, of Murrayfield, Edinburgh, EH12 5PJ). The Scottish Rugby Union provided two match tickets and hospitality, the combined value of which is estimated by the SRU to be around £1000.
On Monday 3 December I received a chair from Boss Design Limited (of Boss Drive, Dudley, DY2 8SZ). The value of the chair is £700. [Registered 21 December 2018]
On Saturday 4 February 2012 I, and my partner, attended the Calcutta Cup match between Scotland and England and had dinner as guests of the President of the Scottish Rugby Union (the governing body and promoter of Scottish rugby union, of Murrayfield, Edinburgh, EH12 5PJ). The total value of this hospitality was £1188.
On Friday 26 September I attended the Ryder Cup as a guest of the Scottish Government (of St. Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG). The value of the hospitality pass was £1100.
Overseas visits
From 23 to 24 January 2018 I travelled to Davos, Switzerland to speak at a Women of Impact dinner organised by Women in The World (owned by Tina Brown Media Company, of 620 8th Avenue, New York). Women in The World paid for one night’s accommodation at Hotel Europe, Promenade 63, 7270 Davos at a cost of £246 and flights between Zurich and Edinburgh at a cost of CHF 235.50. [Registered 9 February 2018]
From 14 to 16 February 2017 I travelled to Washington DC to participate in a forum organised by Women In The World (owned by Tina Brown Media Company, of 620 8th Avenue, New York). Women in The World paid for two night’s accommodation at Melrose Hotel, 2430 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC at a cost of £310 and flights between London Heathrow and Washington DC and Washington DC to Edinburgh at a cost of £705. [Registered 17 March 2017]
From 10 to 13 February 2018 I travelled to Kabul, Afghanistan to see the work of the HALO Trust (a humanitarian mine clearance organisation of Carronfood, Thornhill, Dumfries, DG3 5BF). The HALO Trust paid for flights to and from Kabul at a cost of £1065.36. [Registered 9 March 2018]
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
Since 14 October 2019, I have owned ordinary shares in Kirkholm Broadlands Ltd, a management consultancy, representing 50% of the issued share capital. [Registered 24 October 2019]
Voluntary
I am an Honorary Colonel of 32nd Signal Regiment. [Registered 22 June 2017]
8 May 2019]
I am a member of the Church of Scotland.
I am the Vice President of the Scotland Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
On 24 January 2020 I was paid a £7,500 fee by ITV (of 200 Grays Inn Rd, Holborn, London WC1X 8XZ) for participating in the network’s election night coverage. [Registered 12 February 2020]
From 13th September, I record a weekly radio podcast for LBC Radio Ltd, a broadcasting company, of 30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA. Revenues from the podcast are donated, after tax to Maggie’s Edinburgh, The Stables, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh EH4 2XU. [Registered 21 October 2020]
On 7 September 2016 I received a bottle of Malawian Gin from the Scotland Malawi Partnership. The value of this gift was below the discretion threshold. [Registered 12 September 2016]
On Saturday 19 November 2016 I, and my partner, attended the Scotland v Argentina rugby match as a guest of BT Scotland and the Scottish Rugby Union (the telecoms company of 1 Lochside View, Edinburgh EH12 9DH and the governing body and promoter of Scottish rugby union, of Murrayfield, Edinburgh, EH12 5PJ). BT Scotland and the Scottish Rugby Union provided two match tickets and hospitality. The value of this hospitality was below the discretion threshold. [Registered 30 November 2016]
On Saturday 28 March I, and my partner, attended Mingarry Castle and had dinner and an overnight stay as guests of Ardnamurchan Estate (of Mingary House, Kilchoan, Acharacle PH36 4LH). The value of this hospitality was below the discretion threshold.
Between 12 and 15 February 2015 I travelled to Srebrenica as a guest of the charity Remembering Srebrenica (Charity No: 1142686).
I am a Trustee of The Halo Trust (the mine clearance charity of Dumfries, Thornhill DG3 5BF). This role is unremunerated. [Registered 27 March 2020]
Ceased interest removed from entry: 19 November 2020]
I sit on the board of the John Smith Centre for Public Service. [Registered 8 December 2017]
[Ceased interest removed from entry: 18 December 2018]
Recent Activity
What was said
What Ruth Davidson 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: 12 April 2021
Motion of Condolence
Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con): "Presiding Officer, “Grief is the price we pay for love”. Quoting Colin Murray Parkes, the Queen was speaking on behalf of the nation when she said those words 20 years ago. I cannot imagine what it is like to be married to someone for 73 years…
Chamber meeting date: 24 March 2021
Education (Attainment)
1. Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con): "I add my condolences to those of the First Minister, for all those who have died, and I thank all those who are helping in the health and vaccine effort as we tackle Covid across the country. Three major publications have been released this week…
Chamber meeting date: 24 March 2021
Motion of Thanks
Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con): "Presiding Officer, I put on record my support and that of the Scottish Conservatives for the First Minister’s motion and wish you well as you retire from Holyrood…
Chamber meeting date: 23 March 2021
Covid-19 (Reflections and Next Steps)
Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con): "Presiding Officer, I was proud to join you and the other party leaders for the day of reflection and the minute’s silence at noon today, as we remembered all those who have lost their life to Covid…
Chamber meeting date: 23 March 2021
Motion of No Confidence
Ruth Davidson (Edinburgh Central) (Con): "We are here today because a former First Minister was accused of sexually harassing members of staff in a Government that he was there not only to lead but to serve…
Votes
How Ruth Davidson has voted in Parliament
Find out how Ruth Davidson has voted recently.
Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Emma Harper, South Scotland, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Result 120 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Motion of No Confidence
Submitted by: Ruth Davidson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Thursday, March 4, 2021
Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Bill Bowman, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Donald Cameron, Jackson Carlaw, Peter Chapman, Maurice Corry, Murdo Fraser, Maurice Golden, Jamie Greene, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Rachael Hamilton, Alison Harris, Liam Kerr, Gordon Lindhurst, Dean Lockhart, Tom Mason, Margaret Mitchell, Edward Mountain, Oliver Mundell, John Scott, Graham Simpson, Liz Smith, Alexander Stewart, Adam Tomkins, Annie Wells, Brian Whittle
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 31 for, 65 against, 27 abstained, 6 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Neil Bibby, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 111 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 18 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Andy Wightman, Lothian, Independent. Date lodged: Thursday, February 25, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 114 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 15 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
National Mission to Reduce Drug Deaths and Harms
Submitted by: Brian Whittle, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Supported by: Donald Cameron
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 18, 2021
Result 43 for, 69 against, 1 abstained, 16 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Ruth Davidson in Parliament
Find out what motions Ruth Davidson has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Ruth Davidson 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: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the City of Edinburgh Council area and NHS Lothian’s percentage coverage of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccinations are reportedly the lowest of all local authorities and NHS boards respectively, and when it expects them to be in line with the national average."
Answered by: Jeane Freeman on 24 March 2021
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 1 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the impact of NHS call centre staff working in their office rather than at home during the COVID-19 pandemic on (a) the transmission of the virus and (b) employee safety."
Answered by: Christina McKelvie on 10 February 2021
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government on what date it last met or corresponded with the World Economic Forum, and what topics were discussed."
Answered by: Michael Russell on 12 January 2021
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what support there is for people with alcohol dependency who require the use of mental health services."
Answered by: Clare Haughey on 6 January 2021
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 26 August 2016
"To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the contribution is of the Scotch Whisky industry to Scottish exports."
Answered by: Keith Brown on 22 September 2016
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 26 August 2016
"To ask the Scottish Government how many people it estimates are employed in the supply chain of the Scotch Whisky industry."
Answered by: Keith Brown on 14 September 2016
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 26 August 2016
"To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the contribution is of the Scotch Whisky industry to Scottish GDP."
Answered by: Keith Brown on 14 September 2016
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 26 August 2016
"To ask the Scottish Government how many people it estimates are employed by the Scotch Whisky industry."
Answered by: Keith Brown on 14 September 2016
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 26 August 2016
"To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the non-domestic rates contribution is of the Scotch Whisky industry."
Answered by: Derek Mackay on 14 September 2016
Asked by: Davidson, Ruth, Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 30 May 2014
"To ask the Scottish Government, if the rest of the UK refused to share the services of the (a) Marine and (b) Air Accident Investigation Branch, how much it would cost to set up an equivalent body in an independent Scotland."
Answered by: Nicola Sturgeon on 27 June 2014
See all of Ruth Davidson's written questions submitted in Parliament