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 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
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 3 committees
Education and Skills Committee
Substitute Member
Justice Committee
Member
Cross-party groups
Liam is a member of 19 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Scotch Whisky
Deputy Convener
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Liam has 3 parliamentary and government roles
Presiding Officer's Advisory Group
Member
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Branch Executive
Member
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
Appointed Member
Party Roles
Liam has 2 party roles
Party Spokesperson on Justice
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Party Spokesperson on the Environment
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Previous roles
Liam has had 7 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
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 17 May 2016.
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. Further accommodation, of a value below the threshold for registration in the Gifts category, was provided by Oil and Gas UK and has been registered in the Voluntary category.
On Saturday 25 November 2017 I attended the Scotland v Australia Autumn Tests 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. [Registered 12 December 2017]
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
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.
From 10 to 14 June 2014 I visited the Republic of Malawi on behalf of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Scotland branch to take part in a post-election seminar for newly elected members to the National Assembly of Malawi. Travel and accommodation costs were met by the CPA Secretariat. The CPA Scotland branch Executive Committee and the SPCB approved additional costs associated with internal transport and other business related costs in advance of the visit. At the end of the seminar, the CPA gave me the sum of £660 which represented the per diem to all participants to cover additional expenses at the seminar. I did not spend all of this sum and returned the balance (approximately £360) to the CPA Scotland branch to put towards other branch activities.
In October 2010 I became a patron of Orkney Alcohol Counselling and Advice Services. OACAS is a charitable company that forms part of the network of local alcohol agencies in Scotland affiliated to Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS). It provides one-to-one counselling and an education service. My role involves representing and highlighting the work of OACAS and is unremunerated.
I am a Girl Guide Ambassador.
On 27 October 2011 I received hotel accommodation in Aberdeen from Oil and Gas UK (the trade association for the offshore oil and gas industry). The costs to Oil and Gas UK are below the threshold for registration in the gifts category. The accommodation was received in connection with a trip to an offshore oil and gas installation to learn more about the industry and how it operates. Other costs in relation to this trip were met by Total E&P UK and have been registered in the gifts category.
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: 18 March 2021
Jobs Protection (Highlands and Islands)
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "An islands impact assessment of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd’s plans to centralise air traffic services, backed by the Scottish Government, has identified a number of significant economic impacts and no positive impacts at all…
Chamber meeting date: 18 March 2021
Drug Deaths and Harms
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I will start where James Kelly concluded and acknowledge the contribution that Jenny Marra and Neil Findlay have made to the debate. I very much look forward to hearing their speeches in due course…
Chamber meeting date: 17 March 2021
Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Bill
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I start where John Finnie ended: I declare an interest as an ambassador for White Ribbon Scotland Orkney…
Chamber meeting date: 16 March 2021
Violence Against Women
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I declare an interest as an ambassador for White Ribbon Scotland Orkney. Like many people over lockdown, I have found a daily walk to be not a luxury but a need. I take that walk for granted, and I can do it safely day or night…
Justice Committee meeting date: 16 March 2021
Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Coronavirus) (Scotland) Amendment Rules 2021 (SSI 2021/80)
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD): "I echo the points that the convener, Annabelle Ewing and Fulton MacGregor have made. There has been quite a bit of back and forth, and the issues have been thoroughly aired…
Votes
How Liam McArthur has voted in Parliament
Find out how Liam McArthur has voted recently.
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Result 24 for, 95 against, 0 abstained, 10 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Ash Denham, Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 15, 2021
Supported by: Humza Yousaf
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Result 118 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Approval of SSI
Submitted by: Graeme Dey, Angus South, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Result 93 for, 27 against, 0 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Result 85 for, 25 against, 0 abstained, 19 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Result 83 for, 26 against, 0 abstained, 20 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Passed
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: 16 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with island (a) NHS boards, (b) local authorities and (c) travel providers, including Loganair, Northlink Ferries and Pentland Ferries, regarding the (i) feasibility of and (ii) requirement for COVID-19 testing at island entry points."
Answered by: Paul Wheelhouse on 19 March 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 8 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the proposed site locations for the 124 mobile masts that will be erected under the Shared Rural Network Programme; what the timeframe is confirming these site locations, and what support the Infralink programme will provide to securing them."
Answered by: Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 8 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government when the new toolkit by the Infralink programme will be launched, and how it will help to support the roll-out of 4G and 5G infrastructure."
Answered by: Paul Wheelhouse on 18 March 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 11 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards Action 15 of its Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027."
Answered by: Clare Haughey on 18 March 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 17 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Orkney Islands Council and what was discussed."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the climate emergency is a primary consideration in decision-making processes for planning matters."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how may planning appeals for onshore wind farms have taken the climate emergency into account, since it was declared in May 2019."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how many planning appeals for onshore wind farms, which have been granted, have taken the climate emergency into account."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government whether delays to the National Planning Framework 4 will have any impact on Net Zero targets."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 12 March 2021
Asked by: McArthur, Liam, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 26 February 2021
"To ask to ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-34704 by Fergus Ewing on 3 February 2021, what its most recent communication with the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group (FFP-FPG) indicated about timetables for publishing its final report, and in particular whether the final report will be made publicly…
Answered by: Fergus Ewing on 12 March 2021
See all of Liam McArthur's written questions submitted in Parliament