Richard Simpson (politician)

Dr.
Richard Simpson
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Mid Scotland and Fife
In office
3 May 2007 – 23 March 2016
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Ochil
In office
6 May 1999 – 1 May 2003
Preceded by Constituency Created
Succeeded by George Reid
Personal details
Born

22 October 1942 (age 73–74)


Edinburgh

Political party Scottish Labour Party
Spouse(s) Christine Simpson
Alma mater University of Edinburgh
Occupation Psychiatrist
Religion Church of Scotland[1]
Website www.richardsimpsonmsp.com

Richard John Simpson (born 1942 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish Labour politician, and was Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Ochil constituency from 1999 to 2003 and a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Mid-Scotland and Fife region from 2007 until 2016. He is a member of Unite.

Medical career

Simpson was educated at Perth Academy, Trinity College Glenalmond, and the University of Edinburgh.[2]

A GP and psychiatrist prior to his election, Dr Simpson is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners. He was also a former associate member of the British Association of Urological Surgeons and a member of the faculty's working group on Prostate Cancer.

He was a founding member and Chair of the Strathcarron Hospice, Denny.

Between 2003 and 2007 he worked within Addiction medicine, first within Glasgow then as Consultant Psychiatrist in charge of the Drug Addiction Team of West Lothian.

Scottish Parliament

Simpson is the current Deputy Party Spokesperson on Health for the Labour Party. In the 2007 parliament he was the Labour lead on the Health and Wellbeing Committee and also Co-Convener of the Cross-Party Groups in the Scottish Parliament on Drug and Alcohol Misuse and on Mental Health, and a Member of the Cross-Party Groups in the Scottish Parliament on Epilepsy, Golf, Palestine, Tobacco Control and Visual Impairment.

Simpson's campaigns include 'Save Waterwatch',[3] the undergrounding of the electricity line from Beauly to Denny[4] and stop the running of night trains on the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine railway line.[5][6][7] He was also central to the dropping of the SNP bid to allow local licensing boards to ban under 21 alcohol sales, stating that this would discriminate against young people who were responsible drinkers.[8]

Simpson was elected in 1999 as the first MSP for Ochil. He was made the deputy Justice minister when Jack McConnell became First Minister in 2001. As a Minister, Dr Simpson launched the Scotland's People genealogy web page in 2002.[9] He resigned in November 2002 after allegedly using the words "fascist bastards" in connection with striking firefighters. He admitted using the words but claimed that he was quoting a member of the public.[10]

Simpson was returned to the Scottish Parliament in 2007 as third on the Labour Regional list for Mid Scotland and Fife. At the election on 5 May 2011, he was once again returned to Holyrood as a regional MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife.

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ "Personal Information: Richard Simpson". Scottish Parliament website. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  3. ↑ News. Save Waterwatch. Retrieved on 18 March 2011.
  4. ↑ News. Stirling Before Pylons. Retrieved on 16 February 2011.
  5. ↑ Night freight trains were always planned / News / Roundup / Articles / Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser. Alloaadvertiser.com (2 February 2011). Retrieved on 16 February 2011.
  6. ↑ Inquiry plea after night-train noise breaks health guideline – Herald Scotland | News | Transport & Environment. Herald Scotland (17 August 2010). Retrieved on 16 February 2011.
  7. ↑ Broomridge Community Council – The Trains. Broomridgecommunitycouncil.org. Retrieved on 16 February 2011.
  8. ↑ BBC News – Alcohol age rise plan rejected. Bbc.co.uk (29 September 2010). Retrieved on 16 February 2011.
  9. ↑ General Register Office for Scotland – Simpson launches new website for genealogy enthusiasts. Gro-scotland.gov.uk. Retrieved on 16 February 2011.
  10. ↑
Scottish Parliament
New constituency Member of the Scottish Parliament for Ochil
1999–2003 		Succeeded by
George Reid
Political offices
Preceded by
Iain Gray		 Deputy Minister for Justice
2001–2002 		Succeeded by
Hugh Henry
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/2/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.