Scottish Labour
MSP for Central Scotland (Region) 2016 - present day
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 6465
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Member
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Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
17 June 2021 - 23 June 2021
Member
04 October 2018 - 01 March 2021
Scottish Labour
02 September 2019 - 01 March 2021
Scottish Labour
18 November 2017 - 14 January 2021
Scottish Labour
28 June 2016 - 09 January 2018
Substitute Member
25 May 2016 - 19 December 2017
Scottish Labour
08 June 2016 - 23 November 2017
Member
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.
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
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "In March 2024, I asked the then Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy to make a full statement to Parliament on the Government’s exposure to risk as a result of its arrangements with Sanjeev Gupta…
Chamber meeting date: 11 September 2025
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "In my lifetime, from working as an economist at the Scottish Trades Union Congress to bearing personal testimony to the damage inflicted by the neoliberal experiment on my own family—the direct, deliberate and despicable result of Government policy which closed factory after factory, mine after mine, shipyard after shipyard—there has been no…
Chamber meeting date: 10 September 2025
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted no."
Chamber meeting date: 9 September 2025
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "I declare an interest as the convener of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Scottish parliamentary group. I will begin with some common ground and consensus with the Government…
Chamber meeting date: 4 September 2025
Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "I begin by declaring my interest as the convener of the RMT Scottish parliamentary group. I thank Bob Doris for lodging the motion…
Find out how Richard Leonard has voted recently.
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 against
Vote Passed
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 for
Vote Defeated
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
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 against
Vote Passed
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
Find out what motions Richard Leonard has submitted recently.
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government how many times, in each of the last three calendar years, its Agricultural Wages Enforcement Team has reported concerns to local authorities regarding the standards of accommodation provided in their areas to migrant workers, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) what the outcome was."
Answer expected on 25 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that three of the biggest six local authority areas that use the Seasonal Worker Visa scheme are located in Scotland, what representation it has made to the UK Government regarding the review of the scheme by the Migration Advisory Committee, and what the outcome was."
Answer expected on 25 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what interventions it has made to end the current dispute over jobs and cuts in the higher education sector."
Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 5 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) CalMac Ferries Ltd and (b) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency regarding the reported passenger safety incident on the MV Alfred on 16 August 2025."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 5 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government when it expects discussions to begin between CalMac Ferries Ltd and the recognised trade unions regarding (a) commercial crewing levels and (b) route-specific sea trials for the MV (i) Isle of Islay, (ii) Glen Rosa, (iii) Loch Indaal, (iv) Lochmor and (v) Claymore."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 5 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to review the charter agreement with Pentland Ferries for the MV Alfred to provide contracted Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services from Troon to Brodick, before the current agreement expires."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 5 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government on what date it expects the MV Caledonian Isles to return to service on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract, and whether it will provide an update on the progress of the dry dock repair of the vessel."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 5 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the (a) duration and (b) value of (i) scheduled and (ii) unscheduled dry dock work carried out on CMAL-owned vessels at Inchgreen dry dock facility since 1 January 2015."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 5 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the negotiations to bring Ardrossan harbour into public ownership with the board of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025
Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 5 September 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what the current full-time equivalent staffing commitment is at (a) Transport Scotland and (b) Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd for the Ardrossan Harbour Redevelopment Project."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 September 2025
See all of Richard Leonard's questions submitted in Parliament