MSP for Orkney Islands (Constituency)
Email: [email protected]
Website: liammcarthur.org.uk
Facebook: Liam McArthur's facebook
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 01856 876541
Text relay calls welcome.
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.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
MSP for Orkney Islands (Constituency)
05 May 2011 to present
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Former MSP for Orkney (Constituency)
03 May 2007 to 22 Mar 2011
Member
Appointed Member
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
14 May 2021 to 14 May 2026
Scottish Parliament
06 May 2021 to 08 April 2026
Scottish Liberal Democrats
27 August 2021 to 08 April 2026
Scottish Liberal Democrats
01 February 2023 to 08 April 2026
Substitute Member
29 September 2021 to 08 April 2026
Convener
06 October 2021 to 01 February 2023
Substitute Member
18 November 2020 to 14 September 2021
Member
06 May 2021 to 27 August 2021
Scottish Liberal Democrats
22 June 2021 to 26 August 2021
Deputy Convener
17 June 2021 to 22 June 2021
Member
19 May 2016 to 20 May 2021
Appointed Member
29 May 2016 to 04 May 2021
Scottish Liberal Democrats
29 May 2016 to 04 May 2021
Scottish Liberal Democrats
06 October 2016 to 04 May 2021
Member
08 June 2016 to 04 May 2021
Member
08 November 2016 to 04 May 2021
Substitute Member
29 August 2017 to 04 May 2021
Member
25 May 2011 to 19 May 2016
Appointed Member
20 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
Scottish Liberal Democrats
20 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
Scottish Liberal Democrats
01 June 2011 to 23 March 2016
Member
23 June 2011 to 23 March 2016
Substitute Member
01 September 2008 to 22 March 2011
Scottish Liberal Democrats
01 September 2008 to 22 March 2011
Scottish Liberal Democrats
03 September 2008 to 22 March 2011
Substitute Member
03 September 2008 to 22 March 2011
Member
21 June 2007 to 02 September 2008
Substitute Member
13 June 2007 to 02 September 2008
Member
24 May 2007 to 01 September 2008
Scottish Liberal Democrats
24 May 2007 to 01 September 2008
Scottish Liberal Democrats
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.
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: 24 June 2026
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I associate myself very much with the comments and requests of Kristopher Leask.This weekend sees the second Water Sound bluegrass festival take place in Burray, in my Orkney constituency…
Chamber meeting date: 24 June 2026
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I associate myself very much with the comments and requests of Kristopher Leask.This weekend sees the second Water Sound bluegrass festival take place in Burray, in my Orkney constituency…
Chamber meeting date: 23 June 2026
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I have a constituent who, for the past nine years, has desperately sought treatment for swelling on his legs and groin that has progressively worsened and is now profoundly incapacitating…
Chamber meeting date: 23 June 2026
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I, too, thank the cabinet secretary for early sight of her statement, which obviously comes on the back of eye-watering rises in business rates earlier this year…
Chamber meeting date: 18 June 2026
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I thank the minister for providing early sight of her statement…
Read all of Liam McArthur's contributions in the Debating Chamber
Find out how Liam McArthur has voted recently.
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
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 for
Disagreed
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 against
Disagreed
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 against
Disagreed
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 voted for
Agreed
This MSP has not lodged any Motions yet. Information will be added here when available.
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 July 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it plans to provide to local authorities and assessors regarding the classification of premises that sell vaping products alongside groceries, newspapers, confectionery or other retail goods."
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 July 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government how many premises it anticipates will be excluded from non-domestic rates relief as a result of the proposed exclusion of vape shops, including how many of these premises are specialist vape retailers as opposed to mixed-use convenience stores or other types of retailer."
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 July 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what appeals process will be available to a business that has been classified as a vape shop and excluded from non-domestic rates relief."
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 July 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has set a threshold for the proportion of a retailer’s turnover, floor space or product range that must be attributable to vaping products for a premises to be classified as a vape shop and therefore excluded from non-domestic rates relief."
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 July 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government's statement to the Parliament on 23 June 2026 on Non-domestic Rates, how it will define a vape shop for the purposes of determining eligibility for non-domestic rates relief and what criteria will be used to distinguish a vape…
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 July 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk that retailers offering a limited range of vaping products could be excluded from non-domestic rates relief, even where such products represent only a small proportion of their overall business activity."
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 10 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address workforce planning challenges in staff recruitment and retention for health and social care services in Orkney."
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 28 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 5 June 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what timeline has been agreed for the £500 million investment to extend free childcare to children aged between nine months and 12-years-old that it announced in March 2026."
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 3 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the installation of electrical infrastructure in Orkney."
Asked by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 2 June 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been remanded to prison custody by the High Court of the Judiciary and received a verdict of (a) not guilty, (b) not proceeded against and (c) not proven for the charges for which they were remanded, and what the (i) mean, (ii) median and (iii) 90th percentile length of time on remand was for such…
See all of Liam McArthur's questions submitted in Parliament