Jeremy Balfour
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
MSP for Lothian (Region) 2016 - present day
About Jeremy Balfour
Contact details
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5961
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Jeremy is a member of 2 committees
Cross-party groups
Jeremy is a member of 22 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Autism
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Aviation
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Changing Places Toilets
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Children and Young People
Co-Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Disability
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Epilepsy
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Freedom of Religion or Belief
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Funerals and Bereavement
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Future of Football in Scotland
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Human Trafficking
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Industrial Communities
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Maritime and Shipbuilding
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Older People, Age and Ageing
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Rugby Development in Scotland
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Scottish Showmen's Guild
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Shared Parenting
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Social Work
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Sport
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Taiwan
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Visual Impairment
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Volunteering
Co-Convener
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Jeremy has 1 parliamentary and government role
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Branch Executive
Member
Party Roles
Jeremy has 3 party roles
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Equalities
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Housing
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Social Security
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Previous roles
Jeremy has had 15 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
21 May 2021 - 28 June 2023
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Local Government
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
08 September 2021 - 25 May 2022
Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Substitute Member
11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Equalities
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Older People
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
20 August 2020 - 04 May 2021
Local Government and Communities Committee
Substitute Member
29 June 2017 - 04 May 2021
Social Security Committee
Member
25 February 2020 - 20 August 2020
Local Government and Communities Committee
Member
18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Housing
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Communities
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Welfare
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
10 September 2019 - 25 February 2020
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Member
28 June 2017 - 18 February 2020
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Welfare
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
29 September 2016 - 29 June 2017
Equalities and Human Rights Committee
Member
26 May 2016 - 28 June 2017
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Children
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
08 June 2016 - 29 September 2016
Equal Opportunities Committee
Member
Register of interests
Jeremy's register of interests
MSPs must provide details of their financial interests in the Register of Interests. They make an initial statement on becoming or being returned as an MSP. This is then updated with any changes they provide.
Recent Activity
What was said
What Jeremy Balfour has said in Parliament
These are the official transcripts of what was said by this MSP in the chamber and at committee meetings. You'll find the topic discussed and how many times this MSP has contributed to the discussion.
Chamber meeting date: 21 September 2023
Changing Places Toilets
7. Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to start accepting applications for the £10 million fund for changing places toilets that was announced in the 2021-22 programme for government. (S6O-02550)"
Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 14 September 2023
Child Poverty and Parental Employment Inquiry
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "Good morning to you, cabinet secretary and minister, and to all your team. It is good to have you before the committee today. I address my first question to Mr Dey…
Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 14 September 2023
Social Justice Priorities
Jeremy Balfour: "Cabinet secretary, I take you back to the first question that my colleague asked about the information that we have. We all want information so that we can assess how the process is going…
Chamber meeting date: 14 September 2023
Social Security (Investment)
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "I was slightly surprised by the part of the cabinet secretary’s answer that said that Social Security Scotland is “radically different” from the Department for Work and Pensions…
Chamber meeting date: 13 September 2023
Short-term Lets Licensing Scheme
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "Why should someone who is renting out a room in their house be affected by those regulations? They are still living in that property and helping somebody else out that way. Would the member accept that point in his argument?"
Votes
How Jeremy Balfour has voted in Parliament
Find out how Jeremy Balfour has voted recently.
Approval of SSI
Submitted by: George Adam, Paisley, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Result 83 for, 27 against, 3 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Protecting Specialist Neonatal Services in Lanarkshire
Submitted by: Jenni Minto, Argyll and Bute, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Supported by: Michael Matheson, Maree Todd
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Result 63 for, 50 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Protecting Specialist Neonatal Services in Lanarkshire
Submitted by: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, September 18, 2023
Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Result 63 for, 50 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Protecting Scotland's Nature
Submitted by: Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, September 18, 2023
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Mercedes Villalba
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Result 63 for, 50 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Protecting Scotland's Nature
Submitted by: Lorna Slater, Lothian, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Supported by: Neil Gray, Richard Lochhead, Gillian Martin
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Result 63 for, 50 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Motions
Motions made by Jeremy Balfour in Parliament
Find out what motions Jeremy Balfour has submitted recently.
Questions
Questions Jeremy Balfour has asked
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government which officials are responsible for designing the approaches taken in the processing of applications for grants and the allocation of grants to third sector organisations."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 September 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessment is undertaken when a decision on a third sector grant application has not been taken, or payments are not made, by the beginning of the relevant financial year."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 September 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how policy commitments such as Fair Work are embedded into the grant-making processes for third sector organisations."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 September 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it provides guidance to officials and civil servants whose duties include the processing of applications for grants and the allocation of grants to third sector organisations, and, if so, what (a) formal and (b) informal guidance has been provided in the last five years, and whether any new or updated guidance…
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 September 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 13 September 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to start accepting applications for the £10 million fund for Changing Places toilets that was announced in the 2021-22 Programme for Government."
Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 11 July 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19059 by Jenni Minto on 22 June 2023, what actions it is proposing or considering to examine and address the underlying causes of the 19% increase in terminations."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 31 July 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 7 July 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how much funding in total it has provided to the Progress Educational Trust."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 31 July 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 22 June 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the potential impact of increasing the number of centres that offer magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment on the NHS in Scotland."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 July 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 21 June 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government when the UK Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation Strategy will be finalised and adopted, and what it is doing to safeguard cetaceans in the meantime."
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 July 2023
Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 12 June 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the most recent abortion figures published by Public Health Scotland, which show that there were 16,584 terminations in 2022, representing a 19% increase on 2021."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 June 2023
See all of Jeremy Balfour's questions submitted in Parliament