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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Finlay Carson

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries (Constituency) 2016 - present day

About Finlay Carson

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @fincarson

Facebook: Finlay's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Contact at local office

107 King Street
Castle Douglas
DG7 1LZ

Phone: 01556 504991
Text relay calls welcome.

Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.

Committees

Finlay is a member of 1 committee

Cross-party groups

Finlay is a member of 12 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Autism

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Brain Tumours

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Cancer

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Circular Economy

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Civil Nuclear Industry

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Dyslexia

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Islands

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nature and Climate

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Rural Policy

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Science and Technology

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Shared Parenting

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Wood Panel Industry

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Finlay has 1 parliamentary and government role

Conveners Group

Member

Party Roles

Finlay does not have any party roles

Previous roles

Finlay has had 16 previous roles

Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.

22 June 2021 - 01 February 2023

Rural Affairs Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Convener

17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021

Rural Affairs Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Member

11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Natural Environment

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Rural Affairs

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

17 September 2019 - 04 May 2021

Environment Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Deputy Convener

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Land Reform

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on the Environment

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Climate Change

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 September 2019 - 25 February 2020

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Substitute Member

29 June 2017 - 25 February 2020

Public Audit and Postlegislative Scrutiny Committee

Substitute Member

28 June 2017 - 18 February 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Biodiversity

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

28 June 2017 - 18 February 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Animal Welfare

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

28 June 2017 - 18 February 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Digital Economy

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

08 June 2016 - 17 September 2019

Environment Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Member

26 May 2016 - 28 June 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Fisheries

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

26 May 2016 - 28 June 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Rural Development

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Register of interests

Finlay'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.

Recent Activity

What was said

What Finlay Carson 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: 25 March 2025

Agricultural Support Payments

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): "At the 12 March meeting of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, concerns were raised about the lack of effective implementation and about the constraints that the outdated information technology system created…

Chamber meeting date: 20 March 2025

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (Wildfire Warnings)

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): "Last year, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service dealt with 133 serious wildfire incidents between March and June, including 10 in my constituency…

Chamber meeting date: 20 March 2025

Salmon Farming

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): "I am pleased to open the debate on behalf of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee and to speak to the findings of our follow-up inquiry into salmon farming in Scotland…

Chamber meeting date: 19 March 2025

Rural Crime

3. Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): "To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to tackle rural crime. (S6O-04452)"

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee meeting date: 19 March 2025

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 Amendment Order 2025 [Draft]

The Convener: "The next item on the agenda is consideration of a draft Scottish statutory instrument. I welcome to the meeting Jim Fairlie, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity…

Votes

How Finlay Carson has voted in Parliament

Find out how Finlay Carson has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-16923

Scotland – A Fair Trade Nation

Submitted by: Angus Robertson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 24, 2025

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Result 108 for, 7 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16923.1

Scotland – A Fair Trade Nation

Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 24, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Result 107 for, 8 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16844.2

Children’s Rights and Temporary Accommodation

Submitted by: Meghan Gallacher, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Result 53 for, 63 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-16845

Reforming Scotland’s West Coast Ferries

Submitted by: Claire Baker, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, March 17, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Result 58 for, 52 against, 6 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16845.1

Reforming Scotland’s West Coast Ferries

Submitted by: Sue Webber, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Result 52 for, 56 against, 7 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motions

Questions

Questions Finlay Carson has asked

These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.

Question ref. S6W-35807

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to its freedom of information (FOI) release FOI/202400430534, which states that it was "working towards a launch date for the Changing Places Toilets fund and we will provide an update in due course", whether it will confirm what progress has been made towards reopening the fund, and by what date it will…

Answered by Maree Todd on 20 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35721

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 19 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on IT staff in relation to all rural payment systems in each of the last four years."

Answer expected on 2 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-35720

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 19 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on the maintenance of all rural payment systems in each of the last four years."

Answer expected on 2 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-35764

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how much will be spent on (a) the maintenance of and (b) staffing for the rural payments IT system in each of the next two years."

Answer expected on 1 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-34949

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 13 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support single young people experiencing financial difficulties in (a) general and (b) rural areas."

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 March 2025

Question ref. S6O-04452

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 12 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to tackle rural crime."

Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-34950

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 13 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what support it is offering to young people in rural areas experiencing difficulties due to the cost of living crisis and any high levels of taxation."

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-34953

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 13 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to develop financial incentives to encourage young people to stay in rural communities, in light of the reported issues with rural depopulation."

Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 4 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35022

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what the largest number of section 16AA licences is that have been granted to a single landholding under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 4 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35021

Asked by: Carson, Finlay, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether (a) a landowner can assign sporting rights under the terms of a lease to a sporting tenant and (b) the area assigned under the terms of any such lease may not necessarily reflect the ownership boundary of a landholding."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 4 March 2025

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