Martin Whitfield
Scottish Labour
MSP for South Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day
About Martin Whitfield
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
Website: martinwhitfieldmsp.com
X (previously known as Twitter): @_MWhitfield
Facebook: Martin's facebook
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5827
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Martin is a member of 2 committees
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Martin is a member of 1 cross-party group
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on St Andrew's Day
Member
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Martin has 2 parliamentary and government roles
Parliamentary Bureau
Member
Conveners Group
Member
Party Roles
Martin has 3 party roles
Business Manager
Scottish Labour
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Children
Scottish Labour
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Young People
Scottish Labour
Previous roles
Martin has had 3 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Lifelong Learning
Scottish Labour
31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Youth Employment
Scottish Labour
17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021
Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Member
Register of interests
Martin'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.
Here is the register for Martin Whitfield. The date of their initial statement was 08 June 2021.
Remuneration and related undertaking
Until 6 May 2021, I was employed by East Lothian Council (of John Muir House, Brewery Park, Haddington, East Lothian EH41 3HA) as a primary teacher. I worked approximately 35 hours a week and received remuneration of between £40,001 and £45,000 per annum.
Gifts
On 23 November 2023 I attended the Herald Scottish Politician of The Year Awards as a guest of Newsquest Media Group LTD (publisher of newspaper of Loudwater Mill, Station Road, Loudwater, High Wycombe, Bucks HP10 9TY) at Prestonfield Hotel in Edinburgh. The gift was to me as an individual and that the value including VAT was £360. [Registered 12 December 2023]
On Saturday 5 February 2022 I attended a rugby match at Murrayfield, as a guest of BT Group Plc (a telecommunications company of BT Centre, 81 Newgate Street, London, EC1A 7AJ). The value of the gift amounted to £325 for both the ticket and hospitality. [Registered 9 February 2022]
Overseas visits
No registrable interests
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
On 5 December 2023 I received a gift of a food hamper valued at approximately £150 from Community Windpower Ltd (Godscroft Lane, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 6XU). The gift was to me as an individual. [Registered 12 December 2023]
I was paid £100 by You Gov on 21 November 2022 for completing a survey. [Registered 12 December 2022]
I was paid £150 from Ipsos MORI for their Annual Survey of MSPs on 22 December 2021. I donated this fee to charity. [Registered 22 December 2021]
Between 12 June and 19 June 2022 I travelled to Jersey to head an Electoral Observation Mission on behalf of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region (CPA BIMR). The purpose of the visit was to observe the Island election as BIMR did in 2018. An initial report was published at the end of the visit with a full report being prepared with the mission's observations and recommendations. The total cost of the visit, met by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, was £3,000. [Registered 3 August 2022]
I received a bottle of whisky from the Scotch Whisky Association, the nominal value for the COP26 Limited Edition Blended Scotch Whisky to be £30, although it is not for commercial sale. [Registered 22 December 2021]
I am a Member of EIS.
I am a Trustee and Chair of the Burke-Veitch Scholarship which provides funds to allow children / young people to attend drama school. I have no financial interests arising from this role.
I am a Trustee of Garden Elf, a small charity working with schools on gardening. I have no financial interests arising from this role.
I was paid £170 by You Gov on 11 November 2021 for completing a survey. [Registered 2 December 2021]
On 26 February 2022 I was the guest of NatWest Group at Scotland France 6 Nations Rugby Game. The value of the gift was ticket valued at £111.50 and hospitality of £35.00. The combined value of this gift and hospitality is below the threshold for registration in the Gifts category. [Registered 2 March 2022]
On the 27 April 2022, I attended the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards 2022, as a guest of Young Scot. The hospitality had a value of £150. [Registered 4 May 2022]
I was paid £75 by Savanta on 21 November 2022 for completing a survey. [Registered 12 December 2022]
I was paid £100 by You Gov on 27 July 2021 for completing a survey.
Recent Activity
What was said
What Martin Whitfield 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: 25 April 2024
Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "It is a pleasure to open the debate on behalf of Scottish Labour and, indeed, to have been involved in the passage of the bill throughout its stages…
Chamber meeting date: 24 April 2024
Business Motion
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I seek your guidance in relation to rule 9.10.5 of the standing orders, which talks about the proper form of amendments, and, in particular, the use of languages other than English…
Chamber meeting date: 24 April 2024
Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "I intend to speak to amendments 40, 43, 45, 47 and 63 to 67 in my name…
Chamber meeting date: 18 April 2024
Points of Order
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Would it be possible to reschedule general question time to another slot to allow for the motion without notice that has been proposed?"
Chamber meeting date: 18 April 2024
Points of Order
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Further to Douglas Lumsden’s point of order, Presiding Officer, when the announcement was made in April 2022 that the census deadline would be extended, you were challenged by not being able to see what was in the Government’s statement, because it had not yet been published. Would it be within the auspices of your power to observe the Climate…
Votes
How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament
Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.
Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Natalie Don, Renfrewshire North and West, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Supported by: Angela Constance, Graeme Dey, Jenny Gilruth
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, April 25, 2024
Result 71 for, 49 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Result 44 for, 68 against, 0 abstained, 17 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Result 44 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Result 64 for, 46 against, 0 abstained, 19 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Result 47 for, 62 against, 0 abstained, 20 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Martin Whitfield in Parliament
Find out what motions Martin Whitfield has submitted recently.
Questions
Questions Martin Whitfield has asked
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 25 March 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government how many grants for care experienced people it has awarded in each year since 2016, broken down by (a) age and (b) local authority area."
Answered by Natalie Don on 23 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 25 March 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects regarding the circumstances of death when a young person dies in the care of a local authority; how any such data is published, and when any such data will next be reviewed."
Answered by Natalie Don on 23 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 March 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of community-based health and social care spend is currently spent on preventative whole family support, broken down by local authority area, and when it expects the total figure to reach its 5% target."
Answered by Natalie Don on 23 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 4 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how its (a) children’s social work, (b) Homelessness in Scotland and (c) youth homelessness statistics differ with regards to capturing the experiences of care experienced young people."
Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 April 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what its response it to the latest report on childcare costs by Pregnant Then Screwed."
Answered by Natalie Don on 18 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 March 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government how its Homelessness in Scotland statistics accurately capture the number of people in Scotland who have been "looked after" prior to becoming homeless."
Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 March 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government which body has the responsibility for monitoring the use of seclusion and restraint in schools, and how it will ensure that this data is collected consistently across all 32 local authorities."
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 March 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to schools to reduce the use of seclusion and restraint."
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 March 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government when it expects statutory guidance for the use of seclusion and restraint in schools to be in place."
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2024
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 March 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of each of the five prevention pathways in its Ending Homelessness Together action plan."
Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 April 2024
See all of Martin Whitfield's questions submitted in Parliament