Brian Adam
Encyclopedia
Brian Adam is the Scottish Government Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip
and Scottish National Party
Member
of the Scottish Parliament
for Aberdeen Donside
constituency.
He was an MSP for the North East Scotland region from 1999 to 2003 and for the Aberdeen North constituency from 2003 to 2011. From 2007 to 2011 he was Chief Whip
for the minority SNP Government
and Co-Convener of the Oil and Gas Cross Party Group.
in 1948, Adam went to Keith Grammar School. He obtained an BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry
and a MSc in Clinical Pharmacology
from University of Aberdeen
. He began his career with Glaxo in Montrose, Angus
from 1970-73, before working as a biochemist at City Hospital, Aberdeen from 1973-1988.
From 1988, Adam worked as the principal biochemist in the National Health Service at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
and was a trade union
activist prior to his election in 1999. He is a father of five and has two grandchildren. He lives in Aberdeen and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brian Adam is also an avid follower of Aberdeen Football Club and attends the majority of their games.
He served three terms as a councillor for Middlefield and Heathryfold on Aberdeen District Council (1988-1996) and on Aberdeen City Council
from 1995 until his election to the Scottish parliament in 1999.
, reducing the Labour majority from 10,000 at the 1997 Westminster
election to just 398.
He was elected as the second North East Scotland regional MSP
in 1999 and went on to win the Aberdeen North
constituency
from Labour in the 2003 election with a majority of 457.
He held the constituency in the 2007 election with a majority of 3,749, and then again in 2011 in the renamed Aberdeen Donside
with a majority of 7,175.
Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip
The Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip is a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament. It is currently held by Brian Adam MSP of the Scottish National Party...
and Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
Member
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
for Aberdeen Donside
Aberdeen Donside (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Aberdeen Donside is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
constituency.
He was an MSP for the North East Scotland region from 1999 to 2003 and for the Aberdeen North constituency from 2003 to 2011. From 2007 to 2011 he was Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
for the minority SNP Government
Government of the 3rd Scottish Parliament
The Government of the 3rd Scottish Parliament was formed after the 2007 elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is headed by First Minister Alex Salmond.- First Salmond government :...
and Co-Convener of the Oil and Gas Cross Party Group.
Background
Born in Newmill, BanffshireBanffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
in 1948, Adam went to Keith Grammar School. He obtained an BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
and a MSc in Clinical Pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology is the science of drugs and their clinical use. It is underpinned by the basic science of pharmacology, with added focus on the application of pharmacological principles and methods in the real world...
from University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
. He began his career with Glaxo in Montrose, Angus
Montrose, Angus
Montrose is a coastal resort town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. It is situated 38 miles north of Dundee between the mouths of the North and South Esk rivers...
from 1970-73, before working as a biochemist at City Hospital, Aberdeen from 1973-1988.
From 1988, Adam worked as the principal biochemist in the National Health Service at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary or ARI is a teaching hospital on the Foresterhill site in Aberdeen, Scotland. It is run by NHS Grampian and has around 900 beds. ARI is a tertiary referral hospital serving a population of over 600,000 across the North of Scotland...
and was a trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
activist prior to his election in 1999. He is a father of five and has two grandchildren. He lives in Aberdeen and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brian Adam is also an avid follower of Aberdeen Football Club and attends the majority of their games.
Political career
Brian Adam joined the SNP in 1974.He served three terms as a councillor for Middlefield and Heathryfold on Aberdeen District Council (1988-1996) and on Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeen City Council represents the Aberdeen City council area of Scotland.The council area was created in 1996, under the Local Government etc. Act 1994...
from 1995 until his election to the Scottish parliament in 1999.
Member of the Scottish Parliament
In 1999 he contested Aberdeen NorthAberdeen North (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Aberdeen North was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament from 1999–2011. It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
, reducing the Labour majority from 10,000 at the 1997 Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
election to just 398.
He was elected as the second North East Scotland regional MSP
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998....
in 1999 and went on to win the Aberdeen North
Aberdeen North (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Aberdeen North was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament from 1999–2011. It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
constituency
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions
Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998....
from Labour in the 2003 election with a majority of 457.
He held the constituency in the 2007 election with a majority of 3,749, and then again in 2011 in the renamed Aberdeen Donside
Aberdeen Donside (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Aberdeen Donside is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
with a majority of 7,175.
Shadow Ministerial Posts
- May 1999 to September 2000 - Deputy WhipWhip (politics)A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
- September 2000 to April 2003 - Deputy Business Manager & Deputy Chief Whip
- May 2003 to September 2004 - Shadow Deputy Minister for Education & Lifelong Learning
- September 2004 - Shadow Deputy Minister for Tourism
Parliamentary Posts
- June 2003 - Convener of the Standards Committee
- May 2007 - Chief WhipChief WhipThe Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
- May 2011 - Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief WhipMinister for Parliamentary Business and Chief WhipThe Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip is a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament. It is currently held by Brian Adam MSP of the Scottish National Party...
External links
- Official Blog
- Brian Adam MSP Biography at the Scottish Parliament website
- Brian Adam MSP Biography at the SNP website
- They Work For You.com
- The Public Whip Voting Record