Your MSPs Highlands & Islands

Orkney Islands

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Na h-Eileanan an Iar Islands and Nairn

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Argyll and Bute The The Scottish Parliament is the law-making body for devolved matters in . It is made up of 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who are elected by the people of Scotland to work on their behalf and make decisions on devolved issues. The devolved issues that the Scottish Parliament can take decisions on include: • agriculture, forestry and fi shing • civil and criminal justice • education and training • environment • Gaelic • health • housing • local government • natural and built heritage • planning • police and fi re services • social work • sport and the arts • statistics and public records • tourism and economic development • transport 2 Your MSPs A constituent may expect one of their MSPs to take on a case or query. However, it is up to the MSP to decide how best to deal with the request. MSPs may choose to deal with an issue in a number of ways, including: • contacting relevant bodies (for example local councils, housing associations, health boards) • writing to or meeting with the relevant Cabinet Secretary or Minister in the • asking a parliamentary question • initiating a debate • proposing an amendment to a bill • raising the profi le of an issue in the media MSPs will respect the privacy of the person who has contacted them and any confi dentiality surrounding the issue.

3 How to contact your MSPs There are various ways in which to contact an MSP. You can write to individual MSPs by name at: The Scottish Parliament EH99 1SP Each MSP also has an email address. The standard format is: fi rstname.lastname.msp @ scottish.parliament.uk If you telephone Public Information at the Scottish Parliament on 0131 348 5000 or 0800 092 7500 you can be put through to an MSP’s offi ce in the Parliament or be given contact details for his or her local offi ce. Contact details for each MSP can also be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/msp Most MSPs hold regular surgeries within the area they represent. Please contact your chosen MSP using one of the methods above to fi nd out when and where their surgeries take place.

4 Constituency and region Everyone in Scotland is represented by eight MSPs: one for their constituency ( Islands, for example) and seven for the larger region in which they live (for example, Highlands and Islands). This is one of the differences between the Scottish Parliament and the UK Parliament. For issues that are dealt with by the Scottish Parliament, each constituent can decide which of their eight MSPs they would prefer to contact. For example, a constituent may wish to contact an MSP from a particular party or one whom they have heard of locally. Constituency and regional MSPs have equal status within the Parliament, and constituents are free to contact any of their eight MSPs.

5 Highlands and Islands constituency MSPs This map of Highlands and Islands region is colour coded to show the party that holds each constituency seat. You are represented by one of the following constituency MSPs depending on the part of Highlands and Islands you live in. Contact us or use our postcode search if you are unsure of your constituency. Orkney Caithness, Islands Sutherland and Ross Na h-Eileanan an lar

Shetland Islands

Moray

Inverness and Nairn

Skye, Lochaber Argyll and Badenoch and Bute

6 MSPs alphabetically by constituency

Argyll and Bute Michael Russell MSP SNP michael.russell.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP SNP rob.gibson.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Na h-Eileanan an lar MSP SNP alasdair.allan.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

7 Scottish Parliament enquiry line: 0800 092 7500/0131 348 5000

Inverness and Nairn MSP SNP fergus.ewing.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Moray MSP SNP richard.lochhead.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Orkney Islands Liam McArthur MSP Liberal Democrat liam.mcarthur.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

8 Scottish Parliament enquiry line: 0800 092 7500/0131 348 5000

Shetland Islands MSP Liberal Democrat tavish.scott.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Dave Thompson MSP SNP dave.thompson.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

9 Highlands and Islands regional MSPs Everyone in Scotland is represented by eight MSPs. Seven of these MSPs represent the larger regional area that encompasses a number of constituency areas. Residents of Highlands and Islands region can contact any of the following MSPs (named in order of election from the regional lists).

Highlands and Islands MSP Labour rhoda.grant.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Highlands and Islands Jamie McGrigor MSP Conservative jamie.mcgrigor.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

10 Scottish Parliament enquiry line: 0800 092 7500/0131 348 5000

Highlands and Islands David Stewart MSP Labour david.stewart.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Highlands and Islands MSP SNP john.fi nnie.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Highlands and Islands MSP SNP jean.urquhart.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

11 Scottish Parliament enquiry line: 0800 092 7500/0131 348 5000

Highlands and Islands MSP Conservative mary.scanlon.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

Highlands and Islands Mike MacKenzie MSP SNP mike.mackenzie.msp @scottish.parliament.uk

12 The work of MSPs MSPs generally spend Mondays and Fridays working in their constituencies. They may also hold surgeries in their local area in the evenings or at weekends. The main parliamentary business days are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, when MSPs attend committee meetings and debates in the Chamber. A record of what MSPs have said at all public meetings of the Parliament and its committees and of how they have voted is published in the Offi cial Report. In addition, many MSPs are invited to speak at meetings and attend events in the evenings and at weekends. Most MSPs are members of at least one committee, and many also have a role as a spokesperson for their party on a particular issue such as justice, education or health.

13 How to fi nd out more • You can fi nd out about your MSPs on our website. This has biographical information and contact details, as well as details of their committee memberships, political roles and voting records. • You can watch debates in the Chamber and in committee on www.holyrood.tv or visit the Parliament and watch debates as they happen. Please contact us for details of business and ticketing. • You can speak to an MSP at a surgery held in your local area. Contact the MSP’s offi ce for dates and times. • Many MSPs write a newsletter on their work in the Parliament and distribute this to their constituents. If you want to fi nd out more about what your MSPs have done, you can ask them for a copy of their newsletter. • Many MSPs also have their own websites with information about what they have been doing and details of their surgeries.

14

Public Information

Address Public Information The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh, EH99 1SP Telephone 0800 092 7500 or 0131 348 5000 0131 348 5395 (Gàidhlig) Textphone 0800 092 7100 or use the Text Relay service Text 07786 209888 Email [email protected] Website www.scottish.parliament.uk Twitter twitter.com/ScotParl If you require information in another format or language, please contact us.

Maps based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body 10039291. © SPCB 1st edition, May 2011