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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: 7 January 2026

Erasmus Programme

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Gavin Donoghue, the chief executive of Colleges Scotland, said in a statement that “It’s very welcome that the Erasmus student exchange programme will be returning in 2027.” That point was echoed today by the cabinet secretary…

Chamber meeting date: 6 January 2026

Civil Legal Assistance

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "I welcome the draft Scottish statutory instrument that was laid towards the end of December…

Chamber meeting date: 6 January 2026

Complaint

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "As convener of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, I have the responsibility of lodging and speaking to motions seeking the Parliament’s agreement to the committee’s recommendation of a sanction when the committee has concluded that a breach of the code of conduct has occurred and that a sanction for that breach would be…

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee meeting date: 18 December 2025

Complaint

The Convener: "Under agenda item 3, I will make a statement about the decision of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee on a report from the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland about a complaint from Alison Morris against Ash Regan MSP.The committee has carefully considered the report from the commissioner on a…

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee meeting date: 18 December 2025

Decision on Taking Business in Private

The Convener (Martin Whitfield): "Good morning, and welcome to the 26th meeting in 2025 of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee. Agenda items 4 and 5 relate to consideration of a report and consideration of amendments to standing orders…

Votes

How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament

Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-20285

Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill

Submitted by: Ivan McKee, Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, January 5, 2026

Supported by: Shona Robison
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 8, 2026

Result 65 for, 54 against, 0 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-20295

Stopping the Scottish Government’s Business Tax Increases

Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, January 5, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Result 64 for, 47 against, 6 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-20294

Lowering Bills for Scotland’s Workers

Submitted by: Craig Hoy, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, January 5, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Result 81 for, 29 against, 6 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-20295.1

Stopping the Scottish Government’s Business Tax Increases

Submitted by: Ivan McKee, Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Supported by: Richard Lochhead, Shona Robison
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Result 64 for, 47 against, 6 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-20295.2

Stopping the Scottish Government’s Business Tax Increases

Submitted by: Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Result 27 for, 58 against, 32 abstained, 12 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-41249

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 13 October 2025

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

"To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of parents who are eligible for 1,140 hours of funded childcare have accessed their full entitlement without restriction on session times since May 2021."

Question reference: S6W-41264

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 13 October 2025

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

"To ask the Scottish Government how many Disclosure Scotland permanent job vacancies have remained unfilled for more than six months since May 2021."

Question reference: S6W-41202

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 what steps it is taking to ensure that the delegation of the delivery of youth work to local authorities does not compromise the quality or consistency of services across Scotland."

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