Edward Mountain elected convener of the Rural Affairs and Connectivity Committee

Edward Mountain has been elected convener of the Scottish Parliament’s rural affairs and connectivity committee.

Mountain, elected Tory MSP for the Highlands and islands, was elected committee convener after being nominated by fellow Tory Peter Chapman.

Sir Edward Mountain, 4^th Baronet, served in the British Army for 12 years. Elected in May 2016, he is also the Tory spokesperson for Land Reform.

RELATED CONTENT

Graeme Dey elected convener of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Scotland hits 2020 emissions reduction target six years early

Gail Ross, SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, was elected deputy convener.

Taking over as convener, Mountain said: “I thank you all for making me convener of the committee. I look forward to working with you all closely over this session of the Parliament.”

In its first meeting, the Committee agreed to call both Fergus Ewing and Keith Brown to the committee on 29 June, to answer questions in relation to the Forth bridge infrastructure project and any other questions it wants to raise, including questions of Fergus Ewing about farm payments.

Convener: Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)

Deputy convener: Gail Ross (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)

Committee members:

Peter Chapman (North East Scotland) (Con)

John Finnie (Highlands and Islands) (Green)

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)

Jamie Greene (West Scotland) (Con)

Emma Harper (South Scotland) (SNP)

Richard Lyle (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP)

John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)

Mike Rumbles (North East Scotland) (LD)

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)