Charities cash in on Alex Fergusson's pension

THE former presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament has announced which good causes will benefit from the proceeds of his pension.

Alex Fergusson stood to receive more than 21,000 a year on top of his MSP salary after being re-elected at the Holyrood election in May.

The Galloway and Dumfries West Conservative MSP said he would donate the money to organisations from his constituency, after acknowledging that there was an expectation that presiding officers would leave politics after stepping down from the role.

Mr Fergusson has chosen Wigtownshire Women's Aid, Southwest Scotland RnR and Dumfries and Galloway Befrienders to share the pension.

He said: "Choosing only three charities was a very difficult task, but I have long-supported the work of Women's Aid in Wigtownshire and the Dumfries and Galloway Befrienders, each of which play an enormous role in building confidence in some very vulnerable people.

"Southwest Scotland RnR is a relatively new but wonderful charity, which provides much-needed holidays in Dumfries and Galloway for soldiers injured while on active service in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

"Again, this is about confidence building and showing these brave young men that we civilians do care and appreciate what they do for us."

The funds, which amount to 21,600 per year, will be paid by the Scottish Parliament directly to the Charities Aid Foundation, which will then distribute the appropriate amounts to each charity.