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Ross, Skye and Inverness West (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Encyclopedia
Ross, Skye and Inverness West is a constituency
of the Scottish Parliament
(Holyrood
). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
by the first past the post method of election. Also, however, it is one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region
, which elects seven additional members, in addition to eight constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation
for the region as a whole.
Prior the Scottish Parliament election of 2011, the larger part of the constituency was divided between Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch
and Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
. Inverness was moved into a new seat called Inverness and Nairn
.
The other seven constituencies of the Highlands and Islands electoral region during the constituency's existence were Argyll and Bute
, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
, Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
, Moray
, Orkney
, Shetland
and the Western Isles
.
The region covers most of Argyll and Bute council area
, all of the Highland council area
, most of the Moray council area
, all of the Orkney council area, all of the Shetland council area and all of Na h-Eileanan Siar.
, with the name and boundaries of a pre-existing Westminster
(House of Commons) constituency. In 2005
, however, Scottish Westminster constituencies were generally replaced with new larger constituencies. For representation at Westminster, the area of the Holyrood constituency is now divided between three constituencies: the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Westminster constituency
, the Ross, Skye and Lochaber Westminster constituency
and the
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Westminster constituency
.
Ross, Skye and Inverness West is one of three Holyrood constituencies covering the Highland council area. The other two are Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
and Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
. Ross, Skye and Inverness West covers a central portion of the council area, with Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross to the north and Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber to the south. All three are within the Highlands and Islands electoral region.
When created in 1999 the constituency boundaries were definable with reference to council wards which were grouped, by the Highland Council, in relation to eight council management areas. Constituency and management area names have many elements in common, and the management areas had the boundaries of former districts of the Highland region
, as abolished in 1996, namely Ross and Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh, Inverness, Nairn, Lochaber, Badenoch and Strathspey, Caithness and Sutherland.
The management areas were abolished in 2007, and the council has now three new corporate management areas, defined as groups of new wards, also introduced this year, 2007. The boundaries of the corporate management areas are similar to those of Westminster constituencies created in 2005. One corporate management area, the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross area, has boundaries, therefore, which are also similar to those of a Holyrood constituency. The boundaries of the other two corporate areas, the Ross, Skye and Lochaber area and the Inverness, Nairn, and Badenoch and Strathspey area, are quite unlike those of any Holyrood constituency.
The most recent general election of the Highland Council was in 2007, and its current political composition is as follows:
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
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...
(Holyrood
Scottish Parliament Building
The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament held their first debate in the new building on 7...
). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
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:...
by the first past the post method of election. Also, however, it is one of eight constituencies in the Highlands and Islands electoral region
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....
, which elects seven additional members, in addition to eight constituency MSPs, to produce 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 the region as a whole.
Prior the Scottish Parliament election of 2011, the larger part of the constituency was divided between Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch 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...
and Caithness, Sutherland and Ross
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
. Inverness was moved into a new seat called Inverness and Nairn
Inverness and Nairn (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Inverness and Nairn is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
.
Electoral region
- See also Highlands and Islands Scottish Parliament region
The other seven constituencies of the Highlands and Islands electoral region during the constituency's existence were Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Argyll and Bute is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
, Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
, Moray
Moray (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Moray is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
, Orkney
Orkney (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Orkney is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
, Shetland
Shetland (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Shetland is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
and the Western Isles
Western Isles (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
.
The region covers most of Argyll and Bute council area
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
, all of the Highland council area
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
, most of the Moray council area
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
, all of the Orkney council area, all of the Shetland council area and all of Na h-Eileanan Siar.
Constituency boundaries
The Ross, Skye and Inverness West constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999Scottish Parliament election, 1999
The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members...
, with the name and boundaries of a pre-existing Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
(House of Commons) constituency. In 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, however, Scottish Westminster constituencies were generally replaced with new larger constituencies. For representation at Westminster, the area of the Holyrood constituency is now divided between three constituencies: the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Westminster constituency
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (UK Parliament constituency)
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-Boundaries:...
, the Ross, Skye and Lochaber Westminster constituency
Ross, Skye and Lochaber (UK Parliament constituency)
Ross, Skye and Lochaber is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
and the
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Westminster constituency
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
.
Council area
- See also Politics of the Highland council areaPolitics of the Highland council areaPolitics of the Highland council area in Scotland are evident in the deliberations and decisions of the Highland Council, in elections to the council, and in elections to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and the Scottish Parliament...
Ross, Skye and Inverness West is one of three Holyrood constituencies covering the Highland council area. The other two are Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
and Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber was a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elected one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
. Ross, Skye and Inverness West covers a central portion of the council area, with Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross to the north and Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber to the south. All three are within the Highlands and Islands electoral region.
When created in 1999 the constituency boundaries were definable with reference to council wards which were grouped, by the Highland Council, in relation to eight council management areas. Constituency and management area names have many elements in common, and the management areas had the boundaries of former districts of the Highland region
Regions and districts of Scotland
The local government areas of Scotland were redefined by the Local Government Act 1973 and redefined again by the Local Government etc Act 1994....
, as abolished in 1996, namely Ross and Cromarty, Skye and Lochalsh, Inverness, Nairn, Lochaber, Badenoch and Strathspey, Caithness and Sutherland.
The management areas were abolished in 2007, and the council has now three new corporate management areas, defined as groups of new wards, also introduced this year, 2007. The boundaries of the corporate management areas are similar to those of Westminster constituencies created in 2005. One corporate management area, the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross area, has boundaries, therefore, which are also similar to those of a Holyrood constituency. The boundaries of the other two corporate areas, the Ross, Skye and Lochaber area and the Inverness, Nairn, and Badenoch and Strathspey area, are quite unlike those of any Holyrood constituency.
The most recent general election of the Highland Council was in 2007, and its current political composition is as follows:
Member of the Scottish Parliament
| Election | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Scottish Parliament election, 1999 The Scottish Parliament election, 1999 was the first general election of the Scottish Parliament, with voting taking place on 6 May 1999 to elect 129 members... |
John Farquhar Munro John Farquhar Munro John Farquhar Munro is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician, and was the MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West from 1999 until his retirement in 2011.... |
Liberal Democrat Scottish Liberal Democrats The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England... |
|
| 2003 Scottish Parliament election, 2003 The Scottish Parliament election, 2003, was the second general election of the Scottish Parliament. It was held on 1 May 2003 and it brought no change in terms of control of the Scottish Executive... |
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| 2007 Scottish Parliament election, 2007 The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999... |
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