Sharon Dowey
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
MSP for South Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day
About Sharon Dowey
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
X (previously known as Twitter): @SharonDowey_
Facebook: Sharon's facebook
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 6980
Text relay calls welcome.
Contact at local office
18 Wellington Square
Ayr
KA7 1EZ
Phone: 01292 839130
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Cross-party groups
Sharon is a member of 14 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Aviation
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Cancer
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Carers
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Construction
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Culture and Communities
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Gardening and Horticulture
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on India
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Men's Violence Against Women and Children
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Mental Health
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Music
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Recreational Boating and Marine Tourism
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Towns and Town Centres
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Wood Panel Industry
Member
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Sharon has 1 parliamentary and government role
Scottish Commission For Public Audit
Deputy Chair
Party Roles
Sharon has 1 party role
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Justice
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Previous roles
Sharon has had 7 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
23 June 2021 - 08 February 2024
Public Audit Committee
Deputy Convener
08 September 2021 - 29 June 2023
Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
Substitute Member
20 May 2022 - 28 June 2023
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Culture
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
20 May 2022 - 28 June 2023
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Europe
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
20 May 2022 - 28 June 2023
Deputy Party Spokesperson on International Development
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
24 June 2021 - 01 September 2021
Scottish Commission for Public Audit
Member
17 June 2021 - 23 June 2021
Public Audit Committee
Member
Register of interests
Sharon's register of interests
MSPs must provide details of their financial interests in the Register of Interests. They make an initial statement on becoming or being returned as an MSP. This is then updated with any changes they provide.
Here is the register for Sharon Dowey. The date of their initial statement was 26 May 2021.
Remuneration and related undertaking
Until the election I was employed by William Morrison Supermarkets plc (a retailer of Kilwinning Road, Stevenston, KA20 3DE). I worked full time and received remuneration of between £45,001 and £50,000 a year. I handed in my notice on my election and am no longer employed by the company.
Gifts
No registrable interests
Overseas visits
From 7 October to 13 October 2023 I visited Delhi, India, as part of a delegation of the Cross Party Group on India. The purpose of the visit was to engage with FinTech and Culture organisations and senior politicians within the Indian government. The total costs of the visit, including flights, hotel accommodation, food and transport, amounted to £2,402.16 and were paid by Amit Shah, Director of Flight Path Travel (a tour and travel agency which sells, flights, hotels and tour packages; Office No. 1, Jubilee Business Centre, 211 Kingsbury Road, Kingsbury, London, NW9 8AQ). [Registered 3 November 2023]
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
I own a house in South Ayrshire with a market value of between £250,001 and £300,000. [Amended interest 5 April 2023]
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
No registrable interests
Recent Activity
What was said
What Sharon Dowey has said in Parliament
These are the official transcripts of what was said by this MSP in the chamber and at committee meetings. You'll find the topic discussed and how many times this MSP has contributed to the discussion.
Chamber meeting date: 2 May 2024
Unborn Victims of Violence
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con): "Domestic abuse is a despicable and evil crime. It is particularly abhorrent when it also results in harm to a child…
Chamber meeting date: 24 April 2024
Scottish Prison Service (Workforce)
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con): "HMP Kilmarnock recently transitioned into public ownership, but the process of harmonising staff contracts with public sector terms and conditions is taking longer than expected…
Criminal Justice Committee meeting date: 24 April 2024
Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con): "Good morning. Earlier, you said that the police were less prepared to investigate complaints involving discrimination. Is there an issue because they do not want to investigate the complaints, or is it a problem with their procedures?"
Chamber meeting date: 23 April 2024
Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con): "It is tough to sum up today’s debate in the time that is available…
Chamber meeting date: 18 April 2024
Prison Officers Association (68 Is Too Late Campaign)
Sharon Dowey (South Scotland) (Con): "I thank Pauline McNeill for bringing the debate to the chamber and for bringing the Prison Officers Association to Holyrood at the end of March, when we heard from it directly about its campaign…
Votes
How Sharon Dowey has voted in Parliament
Find out how Sharon Dowey has voted recently.
WASPI: Women Against State Pension Inequality
Submitted by: Humza Yousaf, Glasgow Pollok, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Supported by: Paul McLennan, Emma Roddick, Shirley-Anne Somerville
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Result 75 for, 0 against, 52 abstained, 2 did not vote
MSP abstained
Vote Passed
WASPI: Women Against State Pension Inequality
Submitted by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Result 21 for, 95 against, 11 abstained, 2 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
WASPI: Women Against State Pension Inequality
Submitted by: Douglas Ross, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Result 31 for, 74 against, 21 abstained, 3 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Motion of No Confidence
Submitted by: Anas Sarwar, Glasgow, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Friday, April 26, 2024
Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Claire Baker, Jeremy Balfour, Neil Bibby, Sarah Boyack, Alexander Burnett, Foysol Choudhury, Katy Clark, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Tim Eagle, Rhoda Grant, Mark Griffin, Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Rachael Hamilton, Daniel Johnson, Monica Lennon, Richard Leonard, Douglas Lumsden, Michael Marra, Liam McArthur, Pauline McNeill, Carol Mochan, Edward Mountain, Paul O'Kane, Willie Rennie, Alex Rowley, Colin Smyth, Paul Sweeney, Annie Wells, Tess White, Martin Whitfield, Beatrice Wishart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Result 58 for, 70 against, 0 abstained, 1 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Revision to Business Programme
Submitted by: Douglas Ross, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Jackson Carlaw, Finlay Carson, Sharon Dowey, Tim Eagle, Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Maurice Golden, Pam Gosal, Jamie Greene, Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Rachael Hamilton, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Stephen Kerr, Douglas Lumsden, Roz McCall, Edward Mountain, Oliver Mundell, Graham Simpson, Liz Smith, Alexander Stewart, Sue Webber, Annie Wells, Tess White, Brian Whittle
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Result 57 for, 68 against, 0 abstained, 4 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Sharon Dowey in Parliament
Find out what motions Sharon Dowey has submitted recently.
Questions
Questions Sharon Dowey has asked
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 1 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to tackle homelessness in Ayrshire."
Taken in the Chamber on 9 May 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 24 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (ADP) in (a) East and (b) South Ayrshire for the 2024-25 financial year."
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 1 May 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 17 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Police Scotland's pilot to no longer investigate some minor crimes in the north east, and whether there are any plans to roll this out across Scotland."
Answered by Angela Constance on 1 May 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 2 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what work is being done to promote traditional building skills in rural areas."
Answered by Graeme Dey on 30 April 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 10 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of new planting has been of a productive species in each year since the beginning of the current parliamentary session."
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 April 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 10 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of new planting has been of (a) productive and (b) native species, in each year since the beginning of the current parliamentary session."
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 April 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 24 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the baseline funding for the drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme in (a) East and (b) South Ayrshire beyond the current allocations, in light of reports of a projected increase to 40 referrals for 2024-25."
Answer expected on 9 May 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 24 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government how it is collaborating with (a) other governments across the UK, (b) law enforcement agencies and (c) technology platforms to address the reported proliferation of sexually explicit deepfakes, and what resources are being allocated for (i) education and (ii) prevention of any associated crimes."
Answer expected on 9 May 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 24 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to (a) track and (b) prosecute cases involving the distribution, publication, or sale of sexually explicit deepfake images, particularly in cases where the depicted individuals did not consent to such depictions."
Answer expected on 9 May 2024
Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 24 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed, or plans to review, any current legislation in light of the UK Government's proposed amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill regarding sexually explicit deepfakes, and what its position is on whether there are any gaps in Scots law in relation to deepfake technology."
Answer expected on 9 May 2024