Elena Whitham
Scottish National Party
MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Constituency) 2021 - present day
About Elena Whitham
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
Website: elenawhitham.scot
Twitter: @ElenaWhitham
Facebook: Elena's facebook
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5494
Text relay calls welcome.
Contact at local office
46-48 Glaisnock Street
Cumnock
East Ayrshire
KA18 1BY
Phone: 01290 319126
Text relay calls welcome.
Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.
Committees
Elena is not a member of any committees
Cross-party groups
Elena is not a member of any cross-party groups
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Elena has 1 parliamentary and government role
Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy
Scottish Government
Find out more about the Cabinet and Ministers at the Scottish Government website.
Party Roles
Elena does not have any party roles
Previous roles
Elena has had 7 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
03 November 2022 - 29 March 2023
Minister for Community Safety
Scottish Government
27 January 2022 - 03 November 2022
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Convener
27 January 2022 - 03 November 2022
Conveners Group
Member
25 January 2022 - 27 January 2022
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Member
22 June 2021 - 24 January 2022
Local Government Housing and Planning Committee
Deputy Convener
01 December 2021 - 24 January 2022
Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Member
17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021
Local Government Housing and Planning Committee
Member
Register of interests
Elena'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 Elena Whitham. The date of their initial statement was 02 June 2021.
Remuneration and related undertaking
Until 5 May 2022 I was a councillor at East Ayrshire Council (of Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, KA3 7BU). I spent approximately 15 hours a week on the role and received remuneration of between £15,001 and £20,000 per annum. I donated my councillor salary, after deductions and taxes, to charities within my ward for the duration of my term. [Registered 31 August 2021, Amended interest 10 May 2022]
Until 24 June 2021 I was Depute Leader of East Ayrshire Council (of Council Headquarters, London Road, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, KA3 7BU). I spent approximately 20 hours a week on this role and received remuneration of between £25,001 and £30,000 per annum. I donated this salary, after deductions and taxes, to charities within my ward. [Amended interest 31 August 2021]
Gifts
No registrable interests
Overseas visits
No registrable interests
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
I am a member of Women for Independence.
I am currently a member of the 16th Ayrshire Scout Group.
Recent Activity
What was said
What Elena Whitham 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 2023
Moveable Transactions (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
The Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy (Elena Whitham): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app is saying “Vote failed. Could not connect.” I would have voted yes."
Chamber meeting date: 29 March 2023
Court Maintenance Backlog
The Minister for Community Safety (Elena Whitham): "I apologise to everyone if I end up in a coughing fit—I have a chesty cough at the moment…
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee meeting date: 28 March 2023
Legal Aid and Advice and Assistance (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No 2) Regulations 2023 [Draft]
The Minister for Community Safety (Elena Whitham): "Good morning, convener and members. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the committee about the Legal Aid and Advice and Assistance (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No 2) Regulations 2023…
Chamber meeting date: 22 March 2023
Legal Aid (Eviction Proceedings)
The Minister for Community Safety (Elena Whitham): "Civil legal aid is available to tenants of private and public sector landlords to oppose eviction proceedings. The usual tests of financial eligibility, probable cause and reasonableness apply…
Chamber meeting date: 22 March 2023
Legal Aid
The Minister for Community Safety (Elena Whitham): "The Scottish Legal Aid Board’s most recent report shows that the number of grants of civil legal aid in 2021-22 was slightly above the long-term five-year, 10-year and 15-year averages…
Votes
How Elena Whitham has voted in Parliament
Find out how Elena Whitham has voted recently.
Ending Violence in Scottish Schools
Submitted by: Jenny Gilruth, Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Supported by: Graeme Dey, Natalie Don
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Result 93 for, 18 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote
MSP not voted
Vote Passed
Scottish Connections Framework
Submitted by: Neil Bibby, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, May 22, 2023
Supported by: Foysol Choudhury, Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Result 49 for, 64 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Securing a Sustainable Food Supply for Scotland
Submitted by: Rhoda Grant, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Mercedes Villalba
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 18, 2023
Result 83 for, 28 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Securing a Sustainable Food Supply for Scotland
Submitted by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 18, 2023
Result 28 for, 83 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Securing a Sustainable Food Supply for Scotland
Submitted by: Beatrice Wishart, Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 18, 2023
Result 49 for, 62 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Elena Whitham in Parliament
Find out what motions Elena Whitham has submitted recently.
Legal Aid and Advice and Assistance (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2023 [draft]
Upper Tribunal for Scotland (Transfer of Valuation for Rating Appeal Functions of the Lands Tribunal for Scotland) Regulations 2023 [draft]
First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Transfer of Functions of Valuation Appeals Committees) Regulations 2023 [draft]
Questions
Questions Elena Whitham has asked
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 2 November 2022
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 26 October 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is working with colleagues in local government, as part of its Covid Recovery Strategy, to support Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley’s recovery from COVID-19."
Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2022
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 19 October 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any discussions with the UK Government, in light of the concerns raised with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy regarding the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill."
Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2022
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 10 October 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what further support it will provide to low income families this winter."
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 October 2022
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 28 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the impact on farmers in Scotland of the UK Government’s energy price cap."
Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2022
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 24 June 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on the uptake to date of the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel, and what assessment it has made of the impact of the scheme on children in households on the lowest incomes and their ability to access opportunities."
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 July 2022
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 9 June 2022
"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether an assessment has been made of the chairs in the MSP block for use by members and staff, in relation to occupational health and the latest standards."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 28 April 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government how much it (a) has spent on funding Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) in each year for which it has been responsible for doing so and (b) estimates it will spend on funding DHPs in the current financial year, all broken down by how much was in relation to (i) the removal of the spare room subsidy and (ii) other…
Answered by Shona Robison on 11 May 2022
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 22 April 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to making food security impact assessments an immediate requirement for any application for largescale forestry expansion on productive agricultural land, in order to ensure that all productive land can be prioritised for food production rather than carbon offsetting by non-agricultural…
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022
Asked by: Whitham, Elena, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 22 April 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to implementing a rapid food production impact assessment of all existing and new legislation and policy affecting agricultural land use and practice, in order to avoid any undermining of the potential for, or increases to the costs of, food production."
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May 2022
See all of Elena Whitham's questions submitted in Parliament