Martin Whitfield
Scottish Labour
MSP for South Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day
About Martin Whitfield
Contact details
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5827
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Martin is a member of 2 committees
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Substitute Member
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
Parliamentary Bureau
Member
Conveners Group
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: 5 December 2023
Disability Equality and Human Rights
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "On that point, is the member aware of the stark statistic that three out of four users of the Trussell Trust’s food banks are from a household with a disabled adult or child?"
Chamber meeting date: 30 November 2023
Teacher Training (Employment-based Routes)
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Will the minister confirm that the Scottish Government is still committed to a graduate teaching profession?"
Chamber meeting date: 30 November 2023
Public Service Provision (East Lothian)
7. Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with East Lothian Council regarding the future of local public service provision in the area, including in relation to the Loch Centre in Tranent. (S6O-02828)"
Chamber meeting date: 29 November 2023
Relationships and Behaviour Policy in Schools
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "The summits are all about Scotland’s children, but young people have not been involved in any of the summits. Their voice is absent from the minister’s statement, the report and even the action plan…
Chamber meeting date: 28 November 2023
Female Participation in Sport and Physical Activity
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "The committee has produced a very positive report. Paragraph 132, which I found particularly interesting, deals with boys’ domination of playground spaces…
Votes
How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament
Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.
Fiscal Framework Review
Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, December 4, 2023
Supported by: George Adam, Tom Arthur, Joe FitzPatrick
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Result 63 for, 56 against, 1 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Fiscal Framework Review
Submitted by: Ash Regan, Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Result 1 for, 119 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Fiscal Framework Review
Submitted by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Result 56 for, 64 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Fiscal Framework Review
Submitted by: Michael Marra, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Result 25 for, 95 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Fiscal Framework Review
Submitted by: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Result 31 for, 89 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Martin Whitfield in Parliament
Find out what motions Martin Whitfield has submitted recently.
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.
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 December 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many GP surgeries are not currently accepting new patients."
Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it has considered any need for imprints to be placed on parliamentary-funded MSP literature."
Answered by Jackson Carlaw (on behalf of the SPCB) on 5 December 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 17 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide clarification on whether the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) will be replaced or reformed, in light of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills using both terms during her ministerial statement on 7 November 2023."
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 December 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how the Barnett consequential funding that it received as a result of the UK Government's funding support for swimming pools in England will be distributed."
Answered by Shona Robison on 30 November 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many claimants in total it expects will move to Adult Disability Payment via “managed transfer”."
Answer expected on 14 December 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to (a) schools, (b) colleges and (c) universities, what the current average caseload of additional support needs staff is, and how this compares to recommended standards or benchmarks."
Answer expected on 7 December 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to (a) schools, (b) colleges and (c) universities, what (i) specific criteria are and (ii) process is used to (A) assess and (B) identify students with additional support needs (ASN), and how many students with ASN have been identified in each education setting in the last academic year."
Answer expected on 7 December 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to (a) schools, (b) colleges and (c) universities, whether it will publish the full data on the outcomes and achievements of students with additional support needs over the past academic year, and whether it will provide a list of any notable (i) successes and (ii) challenges."
Answer expected on 7 December 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide data on the number of students with additional support needs who have undergone transitions between mainstream and special education settings in the last academic year."
Answer expected on 7 December 2023
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 November 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many formal complaints from parents regarding additional support needs provision have been received in each academic year since 2016-17, broken down by local authority."
Answer expected on 7 December 2023
See all of Martin Whitfield's questions submitted in Parliament