Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands

Scottish Government

18 May 2016 - 26 June 2018

Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy

Scottish Government

21 November 2014 - 18 May 2016

Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs

Scottish Government

06 September 2012 - 21 November 2014

Minister for Environment and Climate Change

Scottish Government

23 February 2012 - 06 September 2012

Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy

Scottish Government

01 June 2011 - 06 September 2012

Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Member

01 June 2011 - 06 September 2012

Finance Committee

Member

24 June 2011 - 22 February 2012

Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment

Scottish Government

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

I formerly worked as a social and economic policy specialist, and through a 19 year career developed expertise in research and as expert witness in support of local plan inquiries, with a specific role in modelling school infrastructure needs of new residential developments. For a wide range of public and private sector clients I undertook: economic appraisal; policy evaluation; project appraisal and economic analysis; Further Education and Higher Education demand research/participation benchmarking and trends; strategic marketing/environmental analysis; education expert witness services; and analysis of demand and supply trends and market drivers in UK residential markets.

I am currently an ordinary member of the ‘Friends of Eyemouth Fort’ – a volunteer group supporting the efforts to maintain the vegetation on the site, learn more about the archaeology and history of the Eyemouth Fort and to promote it as an educational resource and visitor attraction. This does not involve any remuneration or significant time commitment that conflicts with my parliamentary duties.

I am a former Secretary of Cockburnspath Community Council, Scottish Borders (2001-2005). This position was relinquished when I moved to Ayton.

I am a former member of Eyemouth and East Berwickshire Partnership Tourism Grants Assessment Panel which was wound up once EU funding ceased.

In addition, prior to my election in 2011, I was a member of Ayton Community Council, Scottish Borders (2006-2011). This position had to be relinquished with immediate effect upon my election as a MSP.

I previously worked for Pieda plc from 1992-1998 as an assistant economist and then as an economic consultant. From 1998 to 2009 I worked for DTZ Pieda Consulting/DTZ Consulting & Research as an economic consultant and later a senior economic consultant. From 2009 to 2010 I worked for BiGGAR Economics Ltd as senior consultant, before working as a freelance consultant for a short period prior to my election in 2011 and received no remuneration in that capacity after being elected to serve in the Parliament in 2011. Past Clients For the purposes of transparency, my past clients have included the following government organisations and agencies: • Scottish Funding Council • Scottish Enterprise • Scottish Government • Highlands & Islands Enterprise • Careers Scotland / Skills Development Scotland • East of England Development Agency • HEFCE • Learning & Skills Council (at England and Regional level) • National Museums of Scotland • North West Development Agency • Northern Ireland Office and, subsequently, Northern Ireland Assembly • One North East • South East England Development Agency My past clients have also included the City of Edinburgh Council, East Renfrewshire Council, Fife Council, Sanctuary Housing Association and Glasgow Housing Association. My past clients have also included the following bodies in the university and college sector: • University of Aberdeen • Argyll College • Borders College • University of Wales • Trinity College Carmarthen • Peterborough Regional College • Loughborough University • University of Glasgow • The Robert Gordon University • University of West of Scotland • Glasgow Metropolitan College • Elmwood College • Easter Bush Research Consortium • UHI Millennium Institute • Sabhal Mor Ostaig • Queen Margaret University • Universities for Milton Keynes • Heriot-Watt University • South Lanarkshire College • Motherwell College • Cumbernauld College • Anniesland College • Clydebank College My past clients have also included the following developers: • AWG Properties Ltd* • Bellway Homes* • EDI • Ediston Properties Ltd* • Elphinstone Land Ltd* • Elphinstone Estates Ltd • Hallam Land Management* • Hallhill Developments Ltd* • John Swan Ltd • John R Craig (as consortium lead for team including Scotia Homes and D Ferguson)* • J Rutherford (Earlston) Ltd* • Kier Group • Manor Forrest Ltd* • Moray Estates Development Co.* • Park Lane Developments* • Persimmon (East Scotland) Ltd* • Premier Property Group (PPG) / Murray Estates Residential Ltd/ Murray Estates Lothian Ltd* • Scotia Homes * • Scottish National Institute for the War Blinded* • Taylor Wimpey* • UNITE plc • UPP Developers marked with a star (*) indicate developers for whom I previously acted as an expert witness in relation to developments or have provided strategic advice for clients. In addition I have taken on this role at the following sites— • Land to East of Ratho Station – in 2004/05 - (Mr A Allison and Family and Park Lane Developments Ltd) • Lauder Barns, Scottish Borders (Mr J Damerell) I have no ongoing business relationship with any of the former clients that I have listed. Planning consultants For transparency I have worked with planning consultants including: DTZ, Barton Willmore Partnership, Jenkins and Marr, DPP, Keppie Planning, Robin Holder Associates, Turleys, and Turnberry Consulting. I have no ongoing business relationship with any of the consultants listed.

I am a former education and economic consultant who provided services for both public and private sector clients. I now work full-time as a Member of the Scottish Parliament and junior Scottish Government minister and I have no second income outside my ministerial and MSP roles.

I am a member of the Scottish National Party (SNP).

I was a member of the following prior to relinquishing my memberships upon taking up my position as a Scottish Government junior minister (September 2012 – to date): I am a former member of Rail Action Group East Scotland (RAGES) which seeks, among its aims to reinstate local/commuter rail services between Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed, with reopened/new stations at East Linton and Reston. I am a former member of Shelter Scotland. I am a former member of the Campaign for Borders Rail. I am a former member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). I am a former member of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish SPCA).

I am a former Secretary of Berwickshire Community Council Forum and Environment Group, Scottish Borders (2004).

I am a former member of East Berwickshire Communities – a now disbanded consultative forum feeding into the EU funded Eyemouth and East Berwickshire Partnership, i.e. a local regeneration partnership serving the communities of Berwickshire.