Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 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.

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross covers a northern portion of the Highland council area.

Electoral region

The other seven constituencies of the Highlands and Islands electoral region are Argyll and Bute, Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Moray, Orkney, Ross, Skye and Inverness West, 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.

Constituency boundaries and council area

The constituency was created at the same time as the Scottish Parliament, in 1999, 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. The Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Westminster constituency was enlarged slightly, to cover an area also covered by the Ross, Skye and Inverness West Holyrood constituency.

Council area

See also Politics of the Highland council area

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross is the most northerly of three constituencies covering the Highland council area. The other two are Ross, Skye and Inverness West and Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber. All three are within the Highlands and Islands electoral region. Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross has Ross, Skye and Inverness West on its southern boundary. Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber is further south.

In terms of Highland Council committee areas established in 1999, the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross constituency covers all of the Caithness committee area, all of the Sutherland committee area and a small (Easter Ross) part of the Ross and Cromartry committee area. New committee areas will be created in 2007, but this change will not affect constituency boundaries.

Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)

The constituency is represented by Liberal Democrat Jamie Stone.

Election results

Scottish parliamentary election, 2003: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Jamie Stone	7,742	36.7	- 4.4
	Labour	Deirdrie Stephen	5,650	26.7	+ 2.2
	SNP	Rob Gibson	3,692	17.5	- 5.7
	Conservative	Allan McLeod	2,262	10.7	+ 1.8
	Independent	Gordon Campbell	953	4.5	+ 2.4
	Scottish Socialist	Frank Ward	828	3.9	(+ 3.9)
Majority			2,092	9.9	- 7.0
Turnout
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Scottish parliamentary election, 1999: Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Jamie Stone	10,691	41.0	N/A
	Labour	James Hendry	6,300	24.2	N/A
	SNP	Jean Urquhart	6,035	23.2	N/A
	Conservative	Richard Jenkins	2,167	8.3	N/A
	Independent	Gordon Campbell	554	2.1	N/A
	Independent	Ewen Stewart	282	1.0	N/A
Majority			4,391	16.9	N/A
Turnout