Biography

Ross Finnie is the Liberal Democrat Regional List MSP for the West of Scotland having been elected in 1999 and re-elected in 2003 and 2007. He is currently the Party’s Shadow Secretary for Health and Wellbeing and Vice Convener of the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Sport

Ross Finnie held the position of Cabinet Minister throughout the eight years of the two Liberal Democrat/Labour Coalition Governments serving as Minister for Rural Affairs (1999-2001) and then as Minister for Environment and Rural Development (2001-2007)

As a Cabinet Minister, Ross was responsible, amongst other things for: the legislation that led to the creation of Scotland’s first National Parks and the formation of Scottish Water; and the production of the published strategies on Sustainable Development, Climate Change, National Waste and Recycling, Agriculture and Sea Fisheries.

Prior to entering the Scottish Parliament Ross was a local councillor for twenty two years being first elected to Inverclyde District Council in 1977, serving until 1996 and then on the Unitary Authority, Inverclyde Council, from 1995 to 1999. He was Convener of the Planning and Development Committee from 1977to 1980 and leader of the Opposition from 1988 to 1999 Ross was Chair of the Scottish Liberal Party from 1982 to 1986 and is a former Party Spokesperson on the Economy, on Industrial Development and on Taxation.

A Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, Ross worked in the financial services sector latterly running his own firm providing corporate finance advice and holding a number of non-executive directorships of small businesses until he was elected to the Scottish Parliament.

Ross Finnie was born in Greenock in 1947 where he still lives. He and his wife Phyl have two grown-up children. He is an ardent rugby supporter and is a Past-President of Greenock Wanderers RFC