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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Richard Leonard

Scottish Labour

MSP for Central Scotland (Region) 2016 - present day

About Richard Leonard

Contact details

Contact online

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 6465
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Richard is a member of 1 committee

Cross-party groups

Richard is a member of 4 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Industrial Communities

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nuclear Disarmament

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Older People, Age and Ageing

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on WASPI

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Richard has 2 parliamentary and government roles

Conveners Group

Member

Scottish Commission For Public Audit

Member

Party Roles

Richard does not have any party roles

Previous roles

Richard has had 8 previous roles

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

05 December 2024 - 30 September 2025

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee

Member

17 June 2021 - 23 June 2021

Public Audit Committee

Member

04 October 2018 - 01 March 2021

Party Spokesperson on Economy

Scottish Labour

02 September 2019 - 01 March 2021

Party Spokesperson on Jobs and Fair Work

Scottish Labour

18 November 2017 - 14 January 2021

Party Leader

Scottish Labour

28 June 2016 - 09 January 2018

Social Security Committee

Substitute Member

25 May 2016 - 19 December 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on the Economy

Scottish Labour

08 June 2016 - 23 November 2017

Economy Jobs and Fair Work Committee

Member

Register of interests

Richard'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 Richard Leonard 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.

Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 (Publication of Controlling Interests of Payees)

Chamber meeting date: 21 January 2026

3. Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has entered into with the Scottish Information Commissioner regarding the publication of the controlling interests of recipients of payments made under the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024. (S6O-05389)"

Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Economy and Fair Work Committee meeting date: 21 January 2026

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "Thank you very much, convener, and thanks for the opportunity to move my amendment…

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Chamber meeting date: 15 January 2026

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "I thank Maggie Chapman for lodging the motion in Parliament, which I am delighted to support. A few weeks ago, one Friday afternoon, I sat down with firefighters at the Cumbernauld fire station…

Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Economy and Fair Work Committee meeting date: 14 January 2026

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "Thank you very much, convener.What these amendments attempt to do is to promote and realise the potential of employee ownership in the economy…

Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Chamber meeting date: 8 January 2026

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "What this debate is about is not simply taxation. It is not simply about the role of the state and of public finance. It is about how we value human life, public health and community safety…

Votes

How Richard Leonard has voted in Parliament

Find out how Richard Leonard has voted recently.

Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-20414

Submitted by: Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 22, 2026

Result 25 for, 91 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 57 Amendment 43

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Result 28 for, 72 against, 18 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP abstained

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 57 Amendment 42

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Result 46 for, 73 against, 0 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 57 Amendment 40

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Result 47 for, 73 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 57 Amendment 38

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Result 47 for, 71 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Motions

Questions

Questions Richard Leonard has asked

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

Question reference: S6O-05426

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 21 January 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the United States Consul General in Edinburgh to discuss Scotland’s international strategy."

Question reference: S6O-05389

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 14 January 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has entered into with the Scottish Information Commissioner regarding the publication of the controlling interests of recipients of payments made under the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024."

Question reference: S6W-42428

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 8 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 23 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what assurance it can provide to the (a) firefighters and (b) communities of Cumbernauld and surrounding areas that the urban search and rescue appliance will continue to operate from Cumbernauld Fire Station following the service delivery review."

Question reference: S6W-42429

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 8 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 23 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what sites have been identified in the Cumbernauld area for the construction of a new fire station; what the timescale is for the construction of this, and by what date it will become operational."

Question reference: S6W-42308

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 3 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 22 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41435 by Mairi McAllan on 18 November 2025, whether it will provide a list of those specific organisations that it (a) has met or consulted with (i) between 20 November 2024 and 16 January 2025 and (ii) since 17 January 2025 and (b) it plans to consult with in the development of…

Question reference: S6W-41567

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 28 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the number of older and vulnerable people who will have their insurance policies for funeral costs withdrawn as a result of the termination of the Family Protection Plan by C Mutual and Maiden Life Försäkrings from 30 November 2025."

Question reference: S6O-05324

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 17 December 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether regional news serves an important function in a democracy."

Question reference: S6W-42307

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 3 December 2025

Current Status: Holding Answer by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41434 by Mairi McAllan on 18 November 2025, whether it plans to publish the final review report and options for ministers to consider for new accommodation standards for seasonal workers developed by its Housing Standards and Quality team, and, if so, by what date this will…

Question reference: S6W-42306

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 3 December 2025

Current Status: Holding Answer by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the development of standards for caravans and mobile accommodation for seasonal workers, and further to the answer to question S6W-41436 by Mairi McAllan on 19 November 2025, whether it will ensure that (a) there is a robust inspection regime, (b) those providing accommodation that does not meet the…

Question reference: S6W-42309

Asked by: Richard Leonard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 3 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41436 by Mairi McAllan on 19 November 2025, whether it will consider introducing a relationship between the charge levied by the employer for accommodation and the accommodation offset rate when it introduces bespoke statutory accommodation standards."

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