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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Shirley-Anne Somerville

Scottish National Party

MSP for Dunfermline (Constituency) 2016 - present day

Former MSP for Lothians (Region) 2007 - 2011

About Shirley-Anne Somerville

Contact details

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Contact at local office

Unit 2
15 Pitreavie Court
Dunfermline
Fife
KY11 8UU

Phone: 01383 871 986
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Shirley-Anne is not a member of any committees

Cross-party groups

Shirley-Anne is not a member of any cross-party groups

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Shirley-Anne has 1 parliamentary and government role

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice

Scottish Government

Party Roles

Shirley-Anne does not have any party roles

Previous roles

Shirley-Anne has had 10 previous roles

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

19 May 2021 - 29 March 2023

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

Scottish Government

28 June 2018 - 19 May 2021

Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People

Scottish Government

19 May 2016 - 28 June 2018

Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science

Scottish Government

27 March 2008 - 22 March 2011

Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth

Scottish Government

06 September 2007 - 22 March 2011

Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee

Member

13 April 2010 - 27 July 2010

William Simpsons Home Transfer of Property etc Scotland Bill Committee

Convener

26 February 2009 - 03 June 2010

Equal Opportunities Committee

Substitute Member

18 March 2010 - 13 April 2010

William Simpsons Home Transfer of Property etc Scotland Bill Committee

Member

26 November 2009 - 09 April 2010

Ure Elder Fund Transfer and Dissolution Bill Committee

Member

06 September 2007 - 26 June 2008

Education Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee

Substitute Member

Register of interests

Shirley-Anne'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 Shirley-Anne Somerville 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: 8 May 2025

Child Poverty Support (Coatbridge and Chryston)

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville): "We are providing a range of support that will benefit families in Coatbridge and Chryston and across Scotland, including investment in the Scottish child payment, early learning and childcare, and free bus travel for under-22s…

Chamber meeting date: 8 May 2025

Accessible Housing Stock

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville): "We are increasing the supply of accessible and adapted homes across Scotland. To support tenants to live safely and independently, we have increased the budget for registered social landlord adaptations for 2025-26 by more than 150 per cent, to £20…

Chamber meeting date: 8 May 2025

Affordable Homes Target

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville): "We remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032, with at least 70 per cent for social rent and 10 per cent in our rural and island communities, backed by the investment of £768 million in 2025-26…

Chamber meeting date: 8 May 2025

Carer Support Payment (Earnings Limit)

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville): "The recent earnings limit increase for 2025-26, from £151 to £196 a week, means that carers in Scotland can earn £45 more per week and still get the carer support payment. That will help to remove barriers to work and provide more stable support…

Chamber meeting date: 8 May 2025

Housing and Homelessness Systems (Racism)

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville): "Scotland is determined to play our part in eradicating racism, inequality and injustice and in building a better, fairer world. We are investing £768 million in affordable housing in 2025-26…

Votes

How Shirley-Anne Somerville has voted in Parliament

Find out how Shirley-Anne Somerville has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-17525

Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry

Submitted by: Douglas Lumsden, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, May 12, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Result 61 for, 55 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17525.3

Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry

Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Supported by: Alasdair Allan
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Result 61 for, 56 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17416

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill

Submitted by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Result 70 for, 56 against, 1 abstained, 1 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17437.1

Programme for Government: Building the Best Future for Scotland

Submitted by: Jamie Greene, West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Result 30 for, 84 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17437

Programme for Government: Building the Best Future for Scotland

Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Friday, May 2, 2025

Supported by: Tom Arthur, Richard Lochhead, Paul McLennan, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Result 59 for, 55 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motions

Questions

Questions Shirley-Anne Somerville has asked

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

Question ref. S3O-13323

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 17 March 2011

"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it continues to support the introduction of minimum pricing as a means of tackling problems with alcohol."

Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 17 March 2011

Question ref. S3W-39851

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 24 February 2011

"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it and its agencies invested in the renewables and community renewables industry between (a) 2003 and 2007 and (b) 2007 and 2011."

Answered by Jim Mather on 9 March 2011

Question ref. S3W-39781

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 22 February 2011

"To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it estimates will be created under its plans for a low-carbon economy by 2014-15."

Answered by John Swinney on 24 February 2011

Question ref. S3W-37554

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 16 November 2010

"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will fulfil the requirement of section 35 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to set out a report on proposals and policies for meeting annual emissions targets for 2010 to 2022."

Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 17 November 2010

Question ref. S3W-33478

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 30 April 2010

"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of Edinburgh Napier University’s decision to discontinue its Communication, Advertising and PR undergraduate degree (a) how many applicants will be affected by this decision and (b) what recourse applicants who are negatively affected will have to ensure they can begin their chosen area of study."

Answered by Michael Russell on 13 May 2010

Question ref. S3W-33308

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010

"To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures it has in place, or plans to put in place, to assist small businesses to take advantage of future opportunities in the renewables and low-carbon sector."

Answered by Jim Mather on 6 May 2010

Question ref. S3W-33307

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010

"To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures it has in place, or plans to put in place, to prepare and train unskilled, low skilled and other hard-to-employ groups for employment in the renewables and low-carbon sector."

Answered by Jim Mather on 6 May 2010

Question ref. S3W-33304

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010

"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has regarding the geographical spread of potential future jobs in the renewables and low-carbon sector."

Answered by Jim Mather on 6 May 2010

Question ref. S3W-33306

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010

"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the potential impact of jobs in the renewables and low-carbon sector on tackling long-term unemployment."

Answered by Jim Mather on 6 May 2010

Question ref. S3W-33305

Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010

"To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs in the renewables and low-carbon sector expected to be created over the next 20 years will be (a) low, (b) semi and (c) highly skilled."

Answered by Jim Mather on 6 May 2010

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