Overview of political representation in Scotland

There are three parts to the Representation section of National 5 Modern Studies:

• role of MSPs
• representation of women and minority groups
• purpose, function and composition of Committees in the Scottish Parliament

Look through this article for a quick guide to these areas, or to revise what you have already learned.

Click on the links to get more detailed information on each section.

Everyone in Scotland is represented by eight MSPs

• one constituency MSPs representing one of the 73 constituencies that Scotland is divider into
• seven regional MSPs representing each of the eight regions that Scotland is divided into

MSPs work in their constituency or region between Fridays and Mondays by:

• holding surgeries where constituents can bring their problems and questions
• responding to letters and emails from local people and organisations who want their support
• attending local meetings and events where they meet and discuss important issues with groups of constituents
• meeting other representatives such as councillors, as well as business and community leaders

MSPs represent their constituency or region in the Scottish Parliament between Tuesdays and Thursdays by:

• taking part in debates in the Debating Chamber
• asking questions at Question Time
• asking a question at **First Minister's Questions on a Thursday at noon
• introduce up to two Member's Bills in each parliament
• lobbying members of the government
• working on committees

Find out more detail about how MSPs represent their constituency or region

As of September 2024:

• 46% of MSPs are women

  • this under-represents women (51% of Scotland's population)

• 4.5% of MSPs are from black or ethnic minority backgrounds

  • this under-represents 7.1% of Scotland's population

• 4.6% of MSPs have described themselves as disabled

  • this under-represents people with disabilities in Scotland (24% of the population)

Barriers to election include:

• social barriers

  • discrimination may affect chance of election
  • lack of role models or support networks
  • lack or representation (eg in local councils, civil service) provides fewer routes to standing as an MSP candidate

• financial barriers

• women, people from ethnic minorities and people with disabilities are more likely to have lower incomes and may struggle with the costs of campaigning

• they may face additional costs (eg childcare, assistive technology)

• practical barriers

  • work in evenings or weekends may be difficult to balance with caring responsibilities
  • attending parliament may be more difficult for people with disabilities
  • incumbent MSPs (more likely to be white and male) are more likely to be elected than new candidates

Steps have been take to make representation fairer:

• the Scottish Parliament limits working hours, making it more possible for MSPs to balance work and family life
• the Parliament has a creche which can help MSPs who have childcare commitments
• political parties have produced all-women shortlists for constituency selection contests
• the Access to Elected Office Fund can help address financial issues for people with disabilities standing as candidates
• the Scottish Government's Participation Framework aims to increase participation from under-represented groups in all levels of decision-making in Scotland

Find out more detail about how women and minority groups are represented at the Scottish Parliament

Committees are groups of between three and fifteen MSPs that look into specific topics or issues - their remit.

The purpose of a committee is to:

• identify and respond to issues
• gather and evaluate evidence
• examine the work of the Scottish Government
• contribute to legislation by introducing, examining and amending bills

Committees function by:

• holding an inquiry
• looking at legislation
• scrutinising the work of the Scottish Government
• producing reports and recommendation

Committee membership is based on the share of seats that each party has in the Parliament:

• each party proposes which of their MSPs should represent them on the committee
• Parliament must agree on membership
• Parliament agrees which party the convener (who chairs and leads) and depute convener should represent
• the committee has final vote on who takes on these roles.

Find out more detail about Scottish Parliament committees