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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Mercedes Villalba

Scottish Labour

MSP for North East Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day

About Mercedes Villalba

Contact details

Contact online

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 6390
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Mercedes is not a member of any committees

Cross-party groups

Mercedes is a member of 7 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Cuba

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Migration

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nature and Climate

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nuclear Disarmament

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Palestine

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Rural Policy

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Tibet

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Mercedes does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Mercedes has 2 party roles

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Biodiversity

Scottish Labour

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Environment

Scottish Labour

Previous roles

Mercedes has had 5 previous roles

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

25 April 2023 - 25 September 2024

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Substitute Member

25 April 2023 - 16 November 2023

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Member

01 February 2023 - 25 April 2023

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Member

22 September 2021 - 25 April 2023

Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee

Substitute Member

17 June 2021 - 01 February 2023

Rural Affairs Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Member

Register of interests

Mercedes'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 Mercedes Villalba 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.

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Chamber meeting date: 29 January 2026

Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "Throughout the passage of the bill, I have consistently made the case that it should seek not simply to prevent further degradation of the natural environment but to restore and regenerate it, because Governments have repeatedly failed to meet their environmental targets, failing us and our shared moral obligation to the world. We have seen…

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Chamber meeting date: 29 January 2026

Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "Throughout the passage of the bill, I have consistently made the case that it should seek not simply to prevent further degradation of the natural environment but to restore and regenerate it, because Governments have repeatedly failed to meet their environmental targets, failing us and our shared moral obligation to the world. We have seen…

MV Bella 1

Chamber meeting date: 28 January 2026

Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "As the First Minister has outlined, for well over two weeks the Marinera and the vessel’s crew were in Scottish waters in Scottish legal jurisdiction. This week, the US Coast Guard has removed the tanker’s captain and first officer from UK waters…

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Chamber meeting date: 28 January 2026

Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "Amendment 40 would provide a new regulation-making power in the Forestry and Land Management (Scotland) Act 2018 in relation to sustainable forest management…

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Chamber meeting date: 27 January 2026

Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "I have three amendments in the group. Amendments 46 and 47 seek to separate the target topic of habitat condition and habitat extent into two distinct topics…

Votes

How Mercedes Villalba has voted in Parliament

Find out how Mercedes Villalba has voted recently.

Business Programme

Motion ref. S6M-20611.1

Submitted by: Ash Regan, Edinburgh Eastern, Independent. Date lodged: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Sharon Dowey, Fergus Ewing, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Rachael Hamilton, Liam Kerr, Stephen Kerr, Douglas Ross, Graham Simpson, Michelle Thomson, Tess White
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 29, 2026

Result 28 for, 83 against, 1 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-20549

Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, January 26, 2026

Supported by: Jim Fairlie, Mairi Gougeon
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 29, 2026

Result 90 for, 26 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-20527

Submitted by: Mark Ruskell, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Thursday, January 22, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 29, 2026

Result 69 for, 27 against, 19 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 59 Amendment 179

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Result 81 for, 25 against, 0 abstained, 23 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 59 Amendment 178

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Result 25 for, 81 against, 0 abstained, 23 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Motions

Motions made by Mercedes Villalba in Parliament

Find out what motions Mercedes Villalba has submitted recently.

Questions

Questions Mercedes Villalba has asked

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

Question reference: S6W-43347

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 27 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 10 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what recent communication it has had with (a) Aberdeen City Council, (b) Aberdeenshire Council, (c) Moray Council, (d) SEPA and (e) Energy From Waste (EfW) Ness regarding the shutdown of the waste incinerator in East Tullos."

Question reference: S6W-43344

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 27 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 10 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on (a) environmental, (b) air and (c) water quality of the shutdown of the waste incinerator in East Tullos."

Question reference: S6W-43345

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 27 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 10 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to (a) environmental, (b) air and (c) water quality as part of its assessment of energy from waste incineration facilities in Scotland."

Question reference: S6W-43346

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 27 January 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 10 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to (a) local authority, (b) co-operative and (c) worker ownership as part of its assessment of energy from waste incineration facilities in Scotland."

Question reference: S6W-42531

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 11 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 6 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the safety of oil and gas workers in the central and northern North Sea with the UK Government."

Question reference: S6W-42530

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 15 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update from the (a) Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and (b) Health and Safety Executive in Aberdeen regarding the fatality on the Valaris 121 jack-up rig on 14 November 2025."

Question reference: S6W-42532

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 11 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 31 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, regarding staff pay for offshore regulators, when it last discussed the funding of the Health and Safety Executive with the UK Government."

Question reference: S6W-42286

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 2 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers or plans to provide to landowners of fewer than 200 hectares, including those who are community groups and private individuals, who wish to manage land for the restoration of natural processes."

Question reference: S6W-42285

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 2 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the contribution of natural processes, such as natural regeneration, natural river dynamics and trophic interactions, toward meeting statutory nature recovery targets."

Question reference: S6W-42284

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 2 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to align the ecosystem metrics used in the Ecosystem Restoration Code with other policy frameworks and mechanisms, including through nature recovery targets and public funding mechanisms."

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