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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
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Finlay Carson

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries (Constituency)

About Finlay Carson

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @fincarson

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

Phone: 01556 504991
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

107 King Street
Castle Douglas
DG7 1LZ

Phone: 01556 504991
Text relay calls welcome.

Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.

Career as MSP

Career as MSP

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries (Constituency)
05 May 2016 to present

Committees

Finlay Carson is a member of 1 committee

Rural Affairs Committee

Member

Cross-party groups

Finlay Carson is a member of 1 cross-party group

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Beer and Pubs

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Finlay Carson does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Finlay Carson has 1 party role

Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural & Environment

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Previous roles

Finlay Carson has had the following roles in Parliament

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

01 February 2023 to 08 April 2026

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Convener

22 June 2021 to 08 April 2026

conveners group

Member

22 June 2021 to 01 February 2023

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Convener

17 June 2021 to 22 June 2021

Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Member

11 August 2020 to 04 May 2021

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Natural Environment

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

11 August 2020 to 04 May 2021

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Rural Affairs

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

17 September 2019 to 04 May 2021

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Deputy Convener

18 February 2020 to 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Land Reform

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 to 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on the Environment

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 to 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Climate Change

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

29 June 2017 to 25 February 2020

Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny Committee

Substitute Member

18 September 2019 to 25 February 2020

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Substitute Member

28 June 2017 to 18 February 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Biodiversity

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

28 June 2017 to 18 February 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Animal Welfare

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

28 June 2017 to 18 February 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Digital Economy

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

08 June 2016 to 17 September 2019

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Member

26 May 2016 to 28 June 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Fisheries

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

26 May 2016 to 28 June 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Rural Development

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Register of interests

Finlay Carson'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 Finlay Carson. The date of their initial statement was 03 June 2026.

Remuneration and related undertaking

No registrable interests.

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

No registrable interests.

Recent Activity

Official Report

What Finlay Carson 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.

SNP Finances

Chamber meeting date: 25 June 2026

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): "Shameful deflection."

Interests

Rural Affairs Committee meeting date: 24 June 2026

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): "I declare that I am also an honorary associate member of the British Veterinary Association."

Banking Services (Rural Areas)

Chamber meeting date: 23 June 2026

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): ": I apologise for my late arrival in the chamber.To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with stakeholders to support the maintenance of banking services in rural areas. (S7O-00101)"

Climate Change

Chamber meeting date: 23 June 2026

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): "Unfortunately, this sounds like the usual broken record, with the Scottish Government cherry-picking statistics…

Decision Time

Chamber meeting date: 23 June 2026

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was not able to log in. I would have voted no."

Votes

How Finlay Carson has voted in Parliament

Find out how Finlay Carson has voted recently.

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469

Submitted by: Neil Gray, Airdrie, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Supported by: Kirsten Oswald
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 89 for, 31 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469.3

Submitted by: Maggie Chapman, North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Supported by: Kate Nevens
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 16 for, 104 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469.5

Submitted by: Stephen Kerr, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Supported by: James Adams
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 26 for, 78 against, 15 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469.1

Submitted by: Amanda Bland, Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK . Date lodged: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 26 for, 94 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469.2

Submitted by: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 65 for, 53 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP not voted

Agreed

Motions

Questions

Questions Finlay Carson has asked

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

Question reference: S7W-02474

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 14 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 14 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of travel distances on access to cancer treatment for children and young people living in rural and remote areas, including those served by NHS Dumfries and Galloway."

Question reference: S7W-02475

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 14 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 14 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government since May 2026 regarding the Travel Fund for children and young people with cancer that is due to be introduced in England from 2027, and whether patients ordinarily resident in Scotland who travel to England for specialist cancer treatment will be eligible to access…

Question reference: S7W-02476

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 14 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 14 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Welsh Government regarding the travel and accommodation fund for children and young people with cancer that the Welsh Government has begun developing."

Question reference: S7W-02479

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 14 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 14 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01758 by Angela Constance on 3 August 2026, what financial support is available towards travel costs for children and young people with cancer who receive treatment on a day-patient basis, broken down by (a) those aged under 18 and (b) those aged between 18 and 24."

Question reference: S7W-02477

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 14 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 14 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01758 by Angela Constance on 3 August 2026, what the scope and terms of reference of the review of the Patient Travel Reimbursement Scheme guidance will be, and whether the review will consider the travel costs incurred by children and young people with cancer."

Question reference: S7W-02478

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 14 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 14 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01758 by Angela Constance on 3 August 2026, what wider reform of access to healthcare the review of the Patient Travel Reimbursement Scheme guidance will form part of, and when it expects that work to conclude."

Question reference: S7W-02447

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 12 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 9 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to its answer to question S7W-01392 by Angela Constance on 23 July 2026, which indicated that the Vision 3 GP clinical system is currently the only GP clinical system available through the national framework for the replacement of EMIS PCS in Scotland, what work is being undertaken to identify alternative…

Question reference: S7W-02440

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 11 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 8 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what key performance indicators and service level measures are used to assess the performance of the Vision 3 GP clinical system, and whether it will publish the most recent performance results for each of these indicators and measures."

Question reference: S7W-02438

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 11 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 8 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken any assessment of the impact of the Vision 3 GP clinical system on GP appointment capacity and, if so, what the findings were."

Question reference: S7W-02445

Asked by: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged: 11 August 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 8 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all risk assessments, risk registers and mitigation plans relating to the roll-out of the Vision 3 GP clinical system that are related to patient safety, operational resilience or service capacity."