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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
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John Swinney

Scottish National Party

MSP for Perthshire North (Constituency)


John Swinney is the First Minister and is the leader of the Scottish National Party

About John Swinney

Contact details

Contact online

Website: johnswinney.scot

X (previously known as Twitter): @johnswinney

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 5717
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

17-19 Leslie Street
Blairgowrie
PH10 6AH

Phone: 01250 876576
Text relay calls welcome.

Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.

Career as MSP

Career as MSP

Scottish National Party
MSP for Perthshire North (Constituency)
05 May 2011 to present

Scottish National Party
Former MSP for North Tayside (Constituency)
06 May 1999 to 22 Mar 2011

Committees

John Swinney is not a member of any committees

Cross-party groups

John Swinney is not a member of any cross-party groups

Parliamentary and Government Roles

John Swinney has 1 parliamentary and government role

First Minister

Scottish Government

Party Roles

John Swinney has 1 party role

Party Leader

Scottish National Party

Previous roles

John Swinney has had the following roles in Parliament

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

07 May 2024 to 19 May 2026

First Minister

Scottish Government

06 May 2024 to 08 April 2026

Party Leader

Scottish National Party

29 June 2023 to 07 May 2024

Criminal Justice Committee

Member

19 May 2021 to 28 March 2023

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery

Scottish Government

18 May 2016 to 18 May 2021

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

Scottish Government

21 November 2014 to 18 May 2016

Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy

Scottish Government

21 November 2014 to 18 May 2016

Deputy First Minister

Scottish Government

25 May 2011 to 21 November 2014

Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth

Scottish Government

17 May 2007 to 25 May 2011

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth

Scottish Government

05 September 2005 to 02 April 2007

Party Spokesperson on Finance

Scottish National Party

05 September 2005 to 02 April 2007

Party Spokesperson on Public Services

Scottish National Party

30 October 2004 to 02 April 2007

Audit Committee

Substitute Member

20 September 2005 to 02 April 2007

Finance Committee

Deputy Convener

15 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

Finance Committee

Member

28 September 2004 to 14 September 2005

European and External Relations Committee

Convener

28 September 2004 to 14 September 2005

conveners group

Member

15 September 2004 to 28 September 2004

European and External Relations Committee

Member

01 May 2003 to 03 September 2004

Party Leader

Scottish National Party

26 September 2000 to 31 March 2003

Party Leader

Scottish National Party

17 June 1999 to 01 November 2000

Finance Committee

Member

06 May 1999 to 26 September 2000

Deputy Party Leader

Scottish National Party

25 May 1999 to 26 September 2000

Party Spokesperson on Enterprise

Scottish National Party

25 May 1999 to 26 September 2000

Party Spokesperson on Lifelong Learning

Scottish National Party

17 June 1999 to 26 September 2000

Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee

Convener

24 August 1999 to 26 September 2000

conveners liaison group

Member

Register of interests

John Swinney'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

Official Report

What John Swinney 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.

Law Officers

Chamber meeting date: 17 June 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "I am pleased to nominate to the Parliament a new Lord Advocate and a new Solicitor General for Scotland, to welcome them to the chamber at my side and to welcome their families to the gallery…

Men’s Football (World Cup)

Chamber meeting date: 16 June 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "I express the warmest congratulations of everyone in the Scottish Parliament and, indeed, the whole of our country on the outstanding performance of Steve Clarke, Andy Robertson, the Scotland team and the tartan army, who were an absolute credit to our country in the United States at the weekend. Applause.It was a particular pleasure to see our…

Council Tax Debt

Chamber meeting date: 16 June 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "The Government has more extensive support in place for council tax payments, as council tax benefit exists in Scotland whereas it does not exist in other parts of the United Kingdom, which is because of policy decisions taken by this Government…

Human Rights (Refugees and Migrants)

Chamber meeting date: 16 June 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "The Government is working on the proposed human rights legislation, which we will bring forward when it is fully developed. It is complex legislation, and it will require substantive dialogue with the Parliament…

Defence Priorities (North Sea)

Chamber meeting date: 16 June 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "There has obviously been a great deal of debate on the issue in the past few days, subsequent to the resignation of the Secretary of State for Defence…

Votes

How John Swinney has voted in Parliament

Find out how John Swinney has voted recently.

Suspension of Standing Orders

Motion ref. S7M-00397

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 108 for, 10 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Appointment of Law Officers

Motion ref. S7M-00380

Submitted by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 102 for, 16 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Affordable Bus Fares

Motion ref. S7M-00367.4

Submitted by: Craig Hoy, Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 10 for, 107 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP not voted

Disagreed

Affordable Bus Fares

Motion ref. S7M-00367.1

Submitted by: Graham Simpson, Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK . Date lodged: Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 23 for, 78 against, 15 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Affordable Bus Fares

Motion ref. S7M-00367

Submitted by: Stephen Flynn, Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 15, 2026

Supported by: Tom Arthur
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Result 93 for, 26 against, 0 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motions

Motions made by John Swinney in Parliament

Find out what motions John Swinney has submitted recently.

Questions

Questions John Swinney has asked

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

Question reference: S6W-26902

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 18 April 2024

Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of staff currently employed by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner were previously employed by (a) Police Scotland, (b) any other police service and (c) the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service."

Question reference: S6W-26901

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 18 April 2024

Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are currently employed by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner, and in what roles."

Question reference: S6W-26900

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 18 April 2024

Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of staff currently employed by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner were previously serving police officers."

Question reference: S6W-26392

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions the treatment Olaparib has been prescribed in each NHS board area since it was approved for use by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) in 2021."

Question reference: S6W-26304

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 20 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the implementation of the Scottish Wild Salmon Strategy."

Question reference: S6W-26307

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 20 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any implications of recent flooding events for wild salmon populations."

Question reference: S6W-26306

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 20 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to measures to increase the wild salmon population through stocking initiatives."

Question reference: S6W-26391

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government whether consideration is being given, as part of the review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, to risk factors such as family history and ethnicity in improving the early detection of prostate cancer."

Question reference: S6W-26390

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government when the review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer will be completed."

Question reference: S6W-26389

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 2 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government whether the necessary genetic tests are available in all NHS board areas to enable the prescribing of Olaparib to treat prostate cancer."