Tory MSP takes place in chamber

Derek Brownlee was sworn in at a ceremony in the Holyrood chamber

The Scottish Parliament's newest MSP has taken his place in Holyrood.

Conservative Derek Brownlee was formally returned as the new regional representative for the south of Scotland on Wednesday.

Mr Brownlee, 30, succeeds party his colleague David Mundell, who resigned after he was elected as an MP in the recent Westminster elections.

He as appointed because he was next on the Tory regional list from the 2003 Holyrood elections.

Mr Brownlee is a chartered accountant and for two years up until 2004 was the head of taxation and pensions at the Institute of Directors.

He said after the May election and Mr Mundell's victory that it was "a very odd feeling" to be elected to Holyrood in such a manner.

At the time he said: "I guess it is just a function of the way the system works, and it is a pretty odd system to begin with."