Ben Macpherson
Scottish National Party
MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith (Constituency) 2016 - present day
About Ben Macpherson
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
Website: benmacpherson.scot/home
Twitter: @BenMacpherson
Facebook: Ben's facebook
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 600 0134
Text relay calls welcome.
Contact at local office
34 Constitution Street
Leith
Edinburgh
EH6 6RS
Phone: 0131 600 0134
Text relay calls welcome.
Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.
Committees
Ben is not a member of any committees
Cross-party groups
Ben is not a member of any cross-party groups
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Ben has 1 parliamentary and government role
Minister for Social Security and Local Government
Scottish Government
Find out more about the Cabinet and Ministers at the Scottish Government website.
Party Roles
Ben does not have any party roles
Previous roles
Ben has had 3 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
08 June 2016 - 28 June 2018
Social Security Committee
Member
06 October 2016 - 28 June 2018
Justice SubCommittee on Policing
Member
08 June 2016 - 28 June 2018
Justice Committee
Member
Register of interests
Ben'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 Ben Macpherson. The date of their initial statement was 24 May 2021.
Remuneration and related undertaking
No registrable interests
Gifts
On 4 February 2017 myself and a guest attended the Scotland v Ireland match at Murrayfield as hospitality guests of BT Scotland (a telecommunications company of BT Group plc, BT Centre, 81 Newgate Street, London EC1A 7AJ). The combined value of the two tickets was £1390 + VAT.
Overseas visits
No registrable interests
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
I am registered on the roll of Scottish Solicitors.
I am a Fellow of the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).
Recent Activity
What was said
What Ben Macpherson 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: 4 May 2022
Adult Disability Payment (Indefinite Award)
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "Our policy on indefinite awards will avoid unnecessary reviews for severely disabled people who have needs that are highly unlikely to change…
Chamber meeting date: 4 May 2022
East Lothian Council (Service Delivery)
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "As Mr Hoy will know as an elected councillor—at least for a short while yet—local authorities are independent entities with their own powers and responsibilities…
Chamber meeting date: 31 March 2022
Benefit Sanctions
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "I, too, commend my colleague Kaukab Stewart for bringing this important issue, and her research, to the chamber, and I thank all colleagues who have contributed to this important debate…
Chamber meeting date: 31 March 2022
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "First, I offer my sincere apologies for the delay, Presiding Officer. As I set out to Mr Rennie recently, the Scottish Government is delivering disability payments under an agency agreement with the Department for Work and Pensions…
Chamber meeting date: 30 March 2022
Audit Procedures (Local Authorities)
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "The audit of local authorities is delivered by Audit Scotland, on behalf of the Accounts Commission, operating independently of the Scottish Government…
Votes
How Ben Macpherson has voted in Parliament
Find out how Ben Macpherson has voted recently.
Long COVID
Submitted by: Humza Yousaf, Glasgow Pollok, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Supported by: Kevin Stewart, Maree Todd
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 19, 2022
Result 62 for, 29 against, 18 abstained, 20 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Long COVID
Submitted by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 19, 2022
Result 46 for, 62 against, 1 abstained, 20 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Long COVID
Submitted by: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 19, 2022
Result 48 for, 61 against, 0 abstained, 20 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Long COVID
Submitted by: Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 19, 2022
Result 29 for, 62 against, 19 abstained, 19 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Business Programme
Submitted by: Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Donald Cameron, Jackson Carlaw, Finlay Carson, Sharon Dowey, Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Maurice Golden, Pam Gosal, Jamie Greene, Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Rachael Hamilton, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Stephen Kerr, Dean Lockhart, Douglas Lumsden, Edward Mountain, Oliver Mundell, Douglas Ross, Graham Simpson, Liz Smith, Alexander Stewart, Sue Webber, Annie Wells, Tess White, Brian Whittle
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 18, 2022
Result 52 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 10 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Ben Macpherson in Parliament
Find out what motions Ben Macpherson has submitted recently.
Social Security (Up-rating) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 [draft]
Local Authority (Capital Finance and Accounting) (Scotland) (Coronavirus) Amendment Regulations 2022 [draft]
Written questions
Written questions Ben Macpherson has submitted in Parliament
These are the questions that this MSP has asked the Scottish Government about its work. It also includes any answer to these questions.
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 8 June 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09168 by Joe Fitzpatrick on 22 May 2017, to what extent the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 applies to private companies."
Answered by: Joe FitzPatrick on 20 June 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 18 June 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the delivery of more affordable housing."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 19 June 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 29 May 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04448 by Kevin Stewart on 15 November 2016, whether it will outline the average Housing Association Grant (HAG) subsidy levels approved for housing association new development tender approval activity in Edinburgh and Glasgow over the last three years, broken down by type of…
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 29 May 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06577 by Kevin Stewart on 2 February 2017, what the average (a) Housing Association Grant (HAG) and (b) non-HAG subsidy level per unit was expressed as a percentage of total costs for housing association new development tender approval activity in (i) Edinburgh and (ii) Glasgow…
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 26 April 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide meals to children outwith school term times."
Answered by: Angela Constance on 10 May 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 March 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the renewable energy industry."
Answered by: Paul Wheelhouse on 28 March 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 5 March 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that all patients diagnosed with bowel cancer are tested for Lynch syndrome, in light of evidence suggesting that the condition can dramatically increase a person’s chance of developing bowel cancer by up to 80%."
Answered by: Shona Robison on 14 March 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 February 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government what proposals the Scottish Law Commission has for future law reform projects."
Answered by: Annabelle Ewing on 22 February 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 7 February 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister plans to publish a new edition of the Scottish Ministerial Code."
Answered by: Joe FitzPatrick on 8 February 2018
Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 31 January 2018
"To ask the Scottish Government how the finance secretary will ensure that the Budget supports local businesses."
Answered by: Derek Mackay on 7 February 2018
See all of Ben Macpherson's written questions submitted in Parliament