  sir robert hill smith, 3rd baronet (born 15 april 1958) is a scottish liberal democrat politician who has been the member of parliament for west aberdeenshire and kincardine since 1997. ==early life== thumb|left|merchant taylors' school thumb|right|100px|a baronet's ribbon educated at the merchant taylors' school, london and the university of aberdeen (ma), he was a member of the social democratic party before its merger with the liberal party to form the liberal democrats. he served as an aberdeenshire councillor and convener of the grampian joint police board 1995-97. his grandfather represented the same constituency as a unionist from 1924 until 1945. ==parliamentary career== thumb|left|60px|the insignia of a baronet sir robert contested aberdeen north in 1987. he was first elected to parliament in 1997. he is the liberal democrat deputy chief whip in the house of commons. sir robertâs areas of political interest include energy policy, rural issues and international development. he has been a member of the energy & climate change select committee since it was created in 2009, acting as interim committee chair from june - november 2013. he sat on the international development select committee from 2007 to 2009. he serves as honorary vice-president of energy action scotland, a fuel poverty charity, and is a vice-chair of the all-party group for the uk offshore oil and gas industry. he is vice-chair of the post offices appg and co-chairs the appg on afghanistan. he represents a large rural constituency where the oil a
1958_births Alumni_of_the_University_of_Aberdeen Anglo-Scots Baronets_in_the_Baronetage_of_the_United_Kingdom Councillors_in_Scotland Living_people People_educated_at_Merchant_Taylors\'_School,_Northwood Scottish_Liberal_Democrat_MPs UK_MPs_1997a2001 UK_MPs_2001a05 UK_MPs_2005a10 UK_MPs_2010a