how to... Lobby MSPs Activism guide • September 2016 This briefing is a supplementary guide with specific responsibility of the UK parliament alone. These are information about lobbying MSPs. For general known as reserved matters. lobbying advice and information about MPs and There are lots of things you can ask your MSP to do, MEPs see our briefingHow to lobby MPs and MEPs. including asking parliamentary questions; writing The Scottish parliament has the power to introduce to the relevant government minister on your behalf; new laws on a wide range of issues that are known tabling a motion, and sponsoring a meeting in as devolved matters. Some issues remain the parliament to get other MSPs to hear about your issue. The Scottish parliament Meeting your MSP There are 129 members of the Scottish parliament Most constituency MSPs have a local office in the (MSPs). MSPs represent their constituents in the area they represent. Some MSPs organise regular Scottish parliament in Edinburgh. surgeries in their constituency while others will arrange individual meetings when contacted. There are two types of MSPs in Scotland: Details of MSP surgeries can be found on an MSP’s constituency and regional. They both have website, advertised in local papers or in libraries. equal status in the Scottish parliament and you are free to contact any of the eight MSPs who When meeting your MSP prepare what you want to represent you. The different terms are used only to say in advance. if you’re going in a group, discuss differentiate between the size of the geographical between you the points you want to raise. areas they represent and the way in which they were elected. There are 73 constituencies and each one elects its own representative. Regions are made When to contact your MSP up of groupings of between eight and ten You should contact your MSP(s) if you wish to constituencies. Each region has seven additional raise an issue about a devolved matter. seats in the parliament. These are: • agriculture, forestry • natural and built Find your MSP and fishing heritage • education and • planning Use the Scottish parliament website to find out training who your local MSPs are and how you can contact • police and fire them: scottish.parliament.uk/msps • environment and services climate change You can find out the committees they sit on, their • social work • the Gaelic recent speeches in parliament, parliamentary • sport and the arts questions they have asked and motions they have language • statistics and signed. Looking at these can help you determine • health public records how sympathetic they may be towards your cause • housing and what angle to push in your meeting. • tourism and • law and home economic affairs development • local government • transport Pauline McNeill, Meeting MSPs in parliament Scottish Labour If you’re meeting your MSP at the Scottish candidate for parliament, enter via the public entrance opposite Glasgow in Holyrood Park. Tell the security desk the name of 2016 signs the the MSP you are meeting and you will be asked to #NoTTIP pledge after lobbying wait until collected by the MSP or their staff. by local Leave yourself plenty of time for your appointment activists as you will need to go through airport style security and there can often be large groups ahead of you in the queue. If you are seeing more than one MSP at a time, leave plenty of time between appointments in case the first MSP is late or the meeting takes longer than planned. There is a public café within parliament where you can wait. Petitioning the parliament Any member of the public can petition the Scottish parliament - and you can do it in any language! You can find guidelines, templates and additional You can create a physical copy of your petition information on the petitions section of the Scottish or do it online but either way once you submit it parliament website: scottish.parliament.uk and the public petitions committee will consider it. These petitions are for national, not local, level issues and the committee will keep you up to date with its progress. Ways of lobbying MSPs This way both your MSP and the minister are made aware of the issue. By convention, a There are lots of ways that you can lobby your letter forwarded by an MSP to a minister must MSP. You can find more tips and advice in our receive a ministerial reply. briefing How to lobby MP and MEPs Events Lobby meetings If you are looking for a more creative way to Meeting your MSP is the most effective way to engage with your MSP then you could get lobby them. It is advisable to set up a meeting them involved in an event. It is a good idea to in advance. Don’t be intimidated by meeting think about getting in contact with other local your MSP - there’s a good chance you will groups, as well as calling local journalists. know more about the issue than they do. Keep up the pressure Writing emails and letters It is important to keep up public campaigning The best way to influence your MSP through and to use the media and social media to letter writing is to ask them to raise the issue amplify your cause before and after lobbying with the relevant minister. your MSP. Produced by Global Justice Now (globaljustice.org.uk) and Campaign Against Arms Trade (caat.org.uk) in collaboration with Common Weal (allofusfirst.org) October 2016 October.