Member of the Scottish Parliament
Encyclopedia
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament
.
as constituency MSPs and 56 are elected as additional members
, seven from each of eight regional groups of constituencies. This additional member system
produces a form of proportional representation
for each region.
or resignation
, then it may be filled in one of two ways, depending of whether the vacancy is for a first-past-the-post
constituency MSP or for an additional-member MSP.
A constituency vacancy may be filled by a by-election
. An additional-member vacancy may be filled by the next available candidate on the relevant party list.
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...
.
Methods of Election
MSPs are elected in one of two ways:- First past the post constituencyScottish Parliament constituencies and regionsScottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998....
MSPs or; - RegionalScottish Parliament constituencies and regionsScottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998....
additional-member MSPs
Number of Members Elected
73 are electedElected
Elected is the latest EP by Dutch Progressive metal project Ayreon. It was released on April 25, 2008 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and on April 28 in the rest of Europe...
as constituency MSPs and 56 are elected as additional members
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, seven from each of eight regional groups of constituencies. This additional member system
Additional Member System
The Additional Member System is the term used in the United Kingdom for the mixed member proportional representation voting system used in Scotland, Wales and the London Assembly....
produces a form of proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
for each region.
Elections
All MSP positions become simultaneously vacant for elections held on a four year cycle. If a vacancy arises at another time, due to deathDeath
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
or resignation
Resignation
A resignation is the formal act of giving up or quitting one's office or position. It can also refer to the act of admitting defeat in a game like chess, indicated by the resigning player declaring "I resign", turning his king on its side, extending his hand, or stopping the chess clock...
, then it may be filled in one of two ways, depending of whether the vacancy is for a first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
constituency MSP or for an additional-member MSP.
A constituency vacancy may be filled by a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. An additional-member vacancy may be filled by the next available candidate on the relevant party list.
Title
An MSP is known as Name MSP (Name BPA in Gaelic). For instance, Alex Salmond can be entitled either Alex Salmond MSP or Ailig Salmond BPA.See also
- Members elected to the 1st Scottish Parliament
- Members elected to the 2nd Scottish Parliament
- Members elected to the 3rd Scottish Parliament
- Members elected to the 4th Scottish ParliamentMembers of the 4th Scottish ParliamentThis is a list of Members of the Scottish Parliament or, in Gaelic, Buill Pàrlamaid na h-Alba elected to the third Scottish Parliament at the 2011 election...
- Scottish Parliament constituencies and regionsScottish Parliament constituencies and regionsScottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998....
- MSPs' Salaries, Expenses and AllowancesMSPs' Salaries, Expenses and AllowancesMembers of the Scottish Parliament are entitled to a salary, and where applicable, expenses and allowances.The Scotland Act 1998 provides for pay and allowances to MSPs, officeholders of the Scottish Parliament and Ministers...
- Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)Member of the Legislative Assembly is a representative elected by the voters to the Northern Ireland Assembly in Northern Ireland.- About :...
- Member of the National Assembly for Wales