The Scottish Rural Parliament is a powerful collective voice for people and groups from rural Scotland, including Midlothian (which is a rural area). Ahead of the Scottish Rural Parliament 2023, this mid-term event will be a chance to find out about the recommendations of the Scottish Rural Parliament 2021 and discuss how they align with priorities in Midlothian. It will also add Midlothian’s voice to the Rural Parliament and the influence it wields over national policy.

This event is part of the Tyne Esk LEADER Rural Communities Testing Change project. In the LEADER definition, all of Midlothian is classed as rural apart from the urban centre of Dalkeith. Understanding what rural communities in Midlothian have in common with others across Scotland, and where people’s priorities differ, will help to shape a needs-based strategy for potential continuation funding for community-led local development after EU LEADER funding ends in March 2022.

Who is this event for?

The Scottish Rural Parliament is open to everyone living or working in rural Scotland, and this event is for anyone who lives or works in rural Midlothian (all of Midlothian apart from the centre of Dalkeith).

About the Scottish Rural Parliament

The Scottish Rural Parliament is the most comprehensive consultation on rural issues in Scotland. It enables rural and island communities to connect and share expertise, and to amplify this expertise so that it shapes national policy. Key national policy decisions can be traced back to previous Rural Parliaments.

The latest Scottish Rural Parliament was in 2021 and was attended by over 500 individuals representing 100 organisations. Findings from each of the 16 thematic sessions held at last year’s event can be found here.

The next Scottish Rural Parliament is in 2023. In the run-up to each national event, a series of surveys and regional events capture views on priority issues from across rural and island Scotland and set the agenda for the main parliament sessions.