Mapping Power and Access Following Scottish Election

Mapping Power and Access: Disability Sport, MSPs and the Routes to Engagement After the Scottish Election

By Mark Gaffney, Head of Policy at Scottish Disability Sport 

 

The post‑election landscape in Scotland is not just defined by which party holds power, but by how that power is distributed between constituency MSPs, regional MSPs, and parliamentary committees. For disabled people—particularly those engaged in or excluded from sport—understanding this architecture can be crucial. Influence does not sit in one place, and neither do opportunities for change.

This is especially true for disability sport, which cuts across portfolios: health, education, transport, local government, and social justice. Any serious effort to improve access and participation depends on how effectively these levers are used—and how well disabled people can engage with those holding them.

 

Constituency vs Regional MSPs: Different Roles, Different Levers

Scotland’s Additional Member System creates two types of MSPs with distinct but complementary roles:

• Constituency MSPs are directly elected and often act as primary casework advocates (i.e. support offered if someone in their constituency needs support). They are typically the most visible and locally embedded representatives.
• Regional MSPs are elected from party lists to ensure proportionality, often covering broader areas and multiple constituencies.

For disability sport, this distinction matters.

Constituency MSPs tend to be the most effective route for:

• Raising local issues such as inaccessible leisure facilities, transport barriers to clubs, or funding decisions by councils
• Supporting grassroots organisations clubs and campaigning alongside local organisations
• Convening local stakeholders (health boards, councils, schools)

Regional MSPs, meanwhile, are often better placed to:

• Bring recurring issues across multiple areas into parliamentary debate
• Champion systemic change (e.g. national funding models, Active Scotland priorities)
• Sit on committees shaping legislation and scrutinising government policy

Too often, engagement efforts focus only on constituency MSPs. A more strategic approach—particularly for disability sport organisations— will use both and remains the challenge for SDS and its member branches: localised evidence paired with regional amplification.

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