West of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)

The West of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament, created in 1999. It elects 7 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) in addition to the constituency MSPs. These additional MSPs are elected through the additional member system, designed to provide a degree of proportional representation.

The West of Scotland region comprises the constituencies of: Clydebank and Milngavie, Cunninghame North, Cunninghame South, Dumbarton, Eastwood, Greenock and Inverclyde, Paisley, Renfrewshire North and West, and Renfrewshire South.

The region covers parts of the council areas of East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, and West Dunbartonshire.

The boundaries of the electoral region are defined by the Boundaries Scotland, an independent body responsible for reviewing parliamentary constituencies and regions. The aim is to ensure that each region contains roughly the same number of electors. Boundary changes can affect the political landscape of the region.

The West of Scotland region plays a significant role in the overall composition of the Scottish Parliament. The regional list MSPs are often seen as representing a broader range of views than constituency MSPs and can hold the government to account on various issues. The regional MSPs also provide representation for constituents who may not feel adequately represented by their constituency MSP.