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 their Constituency
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
Justice Committee
Member
08 June 2016 - 28 June 2018
Social Security Committee
Member
06 October 2016 - 28 June 2018
Justice SubCommittee on Policing
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.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 20 January 2022
Scottish Child Payment Regulations 2020 and the Disability Assistance for Children and Young People (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2022 [Draft]
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "Thank you, convener, and good morning, members. As this is the first committee meeting that I have attended in 2022, I wish you all a happy new year, and—Inaudible.—Ms Don, too…
Chamber meeting date: 19 January 2022
Local Authority Decision Making (Support)
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "Local authorities are independent corporate bodies with their own powers and responsibilities. The Scottish Government has committed to supporting councils with a finance settlement of over £12.5 billion in 2022-23…
Chamber meeting date: 19 January 2022
Covid-19 (Welfare Support for People in Employment)
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "We have a wide range of support available for people in employment and on low incomes. That includes the majority of our social security benefits: our five family payments, discretionary housing payments and the £500 self-isolation support grant…
Chamber meeting date: 15 December 2021
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "The Scottish Government engages regularly with COSLA representatives to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our shared commitment to work in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland…
Chamber meeting date: 15 December 2021
Local Government Services (Argyll and Bute)
The Minister for Social Security and Local Government (Ben Macpherson): "Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, including Argyll and Bute Council. Our island local authority partners are key stakeholders in how we develop and deliver islands policy…
Votes
How Ben Macpherson has voted in Parliament
Find out how Ben Macpherson has voted recently.
Budget (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Supported by: Tom Arthur, Richard Lochhead, Ivan McKee, Lorna Slater
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 27, 2022
Result 69 for, 54 against, 0 abstained, 6 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Budget (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 27, 2022
Result 25 for, 98 against, 0 abstained, 6 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Budget (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, January 27, 2022
Result 33 for, 88 against, 0 abstained, 8 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Transvaginal Mesh Removal (Cost Reimbursement) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Humza Yousaf, Glasgow Pollok, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Thursday, January 20, 2022
Supported by: Kevin Stewart, Maree Todd
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Result 120 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Result 49 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 13 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Ben Macpherson in Parliament
Find out what motions Ben Macpherson has submitted recently.
Social Security Information-sharing (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 [draft]
Disability Assistance for Working Age People (Scotland) 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