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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Martin Whitfield

Scottish Labour

MSP for South Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day

About Martin Whitfield

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @_MWhitfield

Facebook: Martin's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 5827
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Cross-party groups

Martin is a member of 1 cross-party group

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on St Andrew's Day

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Martin has 2 parliamentary and government roles

Conveners Group

Member

Parliamentary Bureau

Member

Party Roles

Martin has 3 party roles

Business Manager

Scottish Labour

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Children

Scottish Labour

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Young People

Scottish Labour

Previous roles

Martin has had 3 previous roles

Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.

31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Lifelong Learning

Scottish Labour

31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Youth Employment

Scottish Labour

17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021

Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Member

Register of interests

Martin'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 Martin Whitfield 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: 11 December 2025

British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015 Inquiry

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Will the Deputy First Minister take an intervention?"

Chamber meeting date: 9 December 2025

Education Statistics

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "At time for reflection today, we heard that democracy requires humility, so I am asking for an answer to Miles Briggs’s question. Will the SNP Government keep its promise of 3,500 more teachers by the end of the current parliamentary session?"

Chamber meeting date: 9 December 2025

Veterans and Armed Forces Community

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Does the minister agree with me and Forces Children Scotland about the challenge that children of service people face in this transition…

Chamber meeting date: 4 December 2025

Apprenticeships (Healthcare)

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "We do it for teachers, so why can we not do it in health?"

Chamber meeting date: 4 December 2025

Early Years Education and Childcare (Impact of Increased Provision)

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Will the review that the minister is talking about capture an explanation as to why working parents are finding the funded hours inflexible?"

Votes

How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament

Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-20099

Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution

Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, December 11, 2025

Result 79 for, 27 against, 0 abstained, 23 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-20068.1

Business Programme

Submitted by: Douglas Lumsden, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Supported by: Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Jackson Carlaw, Finlay Carson, Sharon Dowey, Tim Eagle, Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Maurice Golden, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Rachael Hamilton, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Stephen Kerr, Roz McCall, Edward Mountain, Oliver Mundell, Douglas Ross, Liz Smith, Alexander Stewart, Sue Webber, Annie Wells, Tess White, Brian Whittle
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Result 34 for, 89 against, 0 abstained, 6 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6M-20057

Connecting Scotland

Submitted by: Sue Webber, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, December 8, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Result 34 for, 87 against, 1 abstained, 7 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6M-20057.3

Connecting Scotland

Submitted by: Fiona Hyslop, Linlithgow, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Supported by: Jim Fairlie
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Result 60 for, 60 against, 2 abstained, 7 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6M-20057.1

Connecting Scotland

Submitted by: Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Result 23 for, 98 against, 0 abstained, 8 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Motions

Questions

Questions Martin Whitfield has asked

These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.

Question reference: S6O-05312

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 10 December 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of an increase of 63 full-time equivalent teachers in 2025 compared with the previous year, how it will fulfil its commitment to recruit 3,500 new teachers before the end of the current parliamentary session."

Question reference: S6W-42138

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 25 November 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the safety of nuclear power."

Question reference: S6T-02777

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 1 December 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that private residential childcare providers are making an estimated £10 million a year in profit from publicly funded contracts."

Question reference: S6O-05225

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 20 November 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will commit to structured engagement with MSP staff trade unions on an ongoing basis."

Question reference: S6T-02757

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 17 November 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the University of Edinburgh plans to reduce jobs by up to 1,800 as part of £140 million in budget reductions by 2026-27, including what action it will take to protect staff and students from the impact of any such redundancies."

Question reference: S6W-41252

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 13 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 10 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many families have lodged complaints regarding flexibility of hours in the early learning and childcare system since May 2021."

Question reference: S6W-41260

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 13 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 10 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of kinship carers have reported that the financial allowance they receive does not cover the full cost of care since May 2021."

Question reference: S6W-41211

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 10 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of complaints that have been received regarding dampness, mould or ventilation issues in council-run nurseries since 2021."

Question reference: S6W-41197

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 10 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 7 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that youth work initiatives are aligned with national economic priorities and strategies, such as the Young Person’s Guarantee."

Question reference: S6W-41209

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 10 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 7 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the proportion of early learning and childcare facilities that have no access to an outdoor play space."

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