Welcome to the Home Page of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Scotland Branch.
About the CPA
The CPA consists of the national, provincial, state and territorial parliaments and legislatures of the countries of the Commonwealth. Members of the CPA share the Association's mission to promote knowledge and understanding about parliamentary democracy and respect for the rule of law and individual rights and freedoms.
Comprising of 175 branches from the 53 Commonwealth countries there is a total membership of around 17,000 parliamentarians. The supreme governing body is the CPA General Assembly which comprises 400 members and meets annually in a different Commonwealth country to discuss matters of current importance.
The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) is part of the CPA. It was formed to discuss ways to increase female representation in Parliament and work towards the mainstreaming of gender considerations in all CPA activities and programmes. Margaret Mitchell MSP and Claire Baker MSP are the Scotland Branch representatives on the British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) CWP Steering Committee. For further information about the BIMR CWP activities click here
CPA Scotland Branch
On 4 May 2000 the Scottish Parliament approved motion S1M-789 which established a Scottish Parliament Branch of the CPA.
As a member of the CPA the Scotland Branch has the opportunity to participate and engage in plenary, regional conferences, seminars, visits and exchanges of delegations. The CPA's programmes and activities promote parliamentary democracy and co-operation with other networks and organisations dedicated to good governance. Programmes are aimed towards the achievement of many goals including professional development, poverty reduction, the support of human rights and Commonwealth promotion.
The President of the CPA Scotland Branch is the Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh MSP. Vice Presidents are the First Minister of Scotand, The Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP, and the leader of the party not represented in the Scottish Government with the greatest number of Members in the Parliament, Jackson Carlaw MSP. These officeholders are ex officio.
All MSPs become Members of Scotland Branch after they are sworn in as MSPs. Members may opt out at any time by contacting the Branch Secretary in writing.
The CPA Scotland Branch Executive Committee was electied at the AGM on Thursday 3 October 2019. The CPA Executive Committee Members are;
- Stuart McMillan MSP
- Margaret Mitchell MSP
- Dr. Claire Baker MSP
- Liam McArthur MSP
Please click here to find out about CPA meetings, reports and outward visits or alternatively contact Charlotta Nordlander or Michael Stone in the International Relations Office, the Scottish Parliament's Branch Secretaries.