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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Michael Matheson

Scottish National Party

MSP for Falkirk West (Constituency) 2007 - present day

Former MSP for Central Scotland (Region) 1999 - 2007

About Michael Matheson

Contact details

Contact online

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

Phone: 01324 629271
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

Suite 5, Brightstone Spaces
Williamson Street
Falkirk
FK1 1PR

Phone: 01324 629271
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Michael is a member of 2 committees

Cross-party groups

Michael is not a member of any cross-party groups

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Michael does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Michael does not have any party roles

Previous roles

Michael has had 30 previous roles

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

11 September 2024 - 17 September 2024

Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee

Member

29 March 2023 - 08 February 2024

Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care

Scottish Government

19 May 2021 - 29 March 2023

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport

Scottish Government

26 June 2018 - 19 May 2021

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity

Scottish Government

18 May 2016 - 26 June 2018

Cabinet Secretary for Justice

Scottish Government

25 November 2014 - 18 May 2016

Cabinet Secretary for Justice

Scottish Government

25 May 2011 - 25 November 2014

Minister for Public Health

Scottish Government

23 December 2010 - 22 March 2011

Substitute Member

13 June 2007 - 22 March 2011

Health and Sport Committee

Member

11 February 2010 - 02 December 2010

Member

03 March 2009 - 01 July 2010

European and External Relations Committee

Deputy Convener

26 February 2009 - 03 March 2009

European and External Relations Committee

Member

01 November 2006 - 02 April 2007

Member

01 March 2006 - 02 April 2007

Member

23 September 2004 - 31 October 2006

Enterprise and Culture Committee

Member

13 September 2004 - 11 September 2006

Party Spokesperson on Culture

Scottish National Party

13 September 2004 - 11 September 2006

Party Spokesperson on Sport

Scottish National Party

30 September 2004 - 21 February 2006

Education Committee

Substitute Member

16 June 2004 - 30 September 2004

Member

03 September 2003 - 29 September 2004

Substitute Member

04 June 2003 - 21 September 2004

Member

01 May 2003 - 13 September 2004

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Rural Development

Scottish National Party

01 May 2003 - 13 September 2004

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Justice

Scottish National Party

09 October 2001 - 31 March 2003

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Rural Development

Scottish National Party

13 January 2000 - 31 March 2003

Party Spokesperson on Equal Opportunities

Scottish National Party

13 July 1999 - 31 March 2003

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Justice

Scottish National Party

08 January 2001 - 31 March 2003

Member

16 May 2002 - 31 March 2003

Substitute Member

13 January 2000 - 07 January 2001

Member

17 June 1999 - 13 January 2000

Member

Register of interests

Michael'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 Michael Matheson 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 September 2025

Alexander Dennis Ltd

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): "The First Minister will be aware of the on-going concern about the important manufacturing jobs in my constituency at the bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis…

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee meeting date: 9 September 2025

Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (Scottish Carbon Budgets) Amendment Regulations 2025 [Draft]

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): "Good morning. I want to stick with the themes of infrastructure and adaptation…

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee meeting date: 9 September 2025

Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 (Scottish Carbon Budgets) Amendment Regulations 2025 [Draft]

Michael Matheson: "There is no doubt that aspects of the process are far from ideal. If you were to design it, you would not design it in the way that it has been done. Some of Mark Ruskell’s comments are perfectly valid and reasonable…

Chamber meeting date: 19 June 2025

Alexander Dennis Ltd

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): "Over the course of last week, I had an opportunity to engage with the unions, and I visited the factory to speak to workers on Monday…

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee meeting date: 18 June 2025

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): "Yes, thank you. I have considered both amendments, which would, if I have read them correctly, effectively end Crown Estate Scotland’s role and functions. However, I am not clear about a couple of issues…

Votes

How Michael Matheson has voted in Parliament

Find out how Michael Matheson has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-18795

Supporting Scottish Exports in Response to Global Uncertainty

Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Supported by: Richard Lochhead
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, September 11, 2025

Result 60 for, 49 against, 7 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18795.1

Supporting Scottish Exports in Response to Global Uncertainty

Submitted by: Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, September 11, 2025

Result 23 for, 91 against, 0 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-18795.3

Supporting Scottish Exports in Response to Global Uncertainty

Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, September 10, 2025

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

Result 26 for, 88 against, 0 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-18780.3

Impact of Accommodating Asylum Seekers on Scottish Local Government

Submitted by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dunfermline, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Supported by: Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Result 72 for, 45 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18780

Impact of Accommodating Asylum Seekers on Scottish Local Government

Submitted by: Craig Hoy, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, September 8, 2025

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

Result 91 for, 27 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motions

Questions

Questions Michael Matheson has asked

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

Question ref. S6W-40340

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 5 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress made in the further decarbonisation of Scotland's suburban rail services, and what plans it has to replace the rolling stock currently operating on ScotRail’s suburban services."

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 September 2025

Question ref. S6W-38978

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 25 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland has made progress on implementing "a national review of freight parking/rest areas" in line with recommendation 36 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), and when it expects to publish the findings of any such review."

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2025

Question ref. S6F-03857

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 24 February 2025

"To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the recent study by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit regarding the contribution of the net zero sector to the UK and Scotland’s economy."

Taken in the Chamber on 27 February 2025

Question ref. S6W-34485

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 30 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on ScotRail fares for 2025."

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32511

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how often the Lord Advocate’s instructions have been used to protect victims of human trafficking and exploitation since the commencement of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015."

Answered by Dorothy Bain on 15 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32512

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what research it has conducted into the effectiveness of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 regarding the protection of children who have been criminally exploited (a) by offering them presumption against prosecution and (b) through sanctioning perpetrators."

Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32508

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that the justice system treats children who are criminally exploited as victims rather than offenders, and how justice professionals and their colleagues in child protection teams communicate and share information with each other to ensure that the children involved are identified and…

Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32504

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is implementing to improve the (a) reporting and (b) detection of the criminal exploitation of children."

Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32499

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with representatives of (a) the justice, (b) the social work, (c) the education, (d) the health sector and (d) other professional sectors regarding dealing with the criminal exploitation of children, also broken down by what training it provides."

Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32502

Asked by: Matheson, Michael, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has allocated to services and programmes over the last five years aimed at (a) early intervention in response to and (b) the prevention of criminal exploitation of children."

Answered by Angela Constance on 10 January 2025

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