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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Jeremy Balfour

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

MSP for Lothian (Region) 2016 - present day

About Jeremy Balfour

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @jeremyrbalfour

Facebook: Jeremy's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 5961
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Cross-party groups

Jeremy is a member of 17 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Autism

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Children and Young People

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Disability

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Epilepsy

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Freedom of Religion or Belief

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Funerals and Bereavement

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Human Trafficking

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Industrial Communities

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Maritime and Shipbuilding

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Older People, Age and Ageing

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Shared Parenting

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Social Work

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Sport

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Taiwan

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Visual Impairment

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Volunteering

Co-Convener

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Jeremy has 1 parliamentary and government role

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Branch Executive

Member

Party Roles

Jeremy has 1 party role

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Social Justice

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Previous roles

Jeremy has had 19 previous roles

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

21 May 2021 - 08 October 2024

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Social Security

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

28 June 2023 - 08 October 2024

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Housing

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

28 June 2023 - 08 October 2024

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Equalities

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

25 May 2022 - 21 March 2024

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Member

21 May 2021 - 28 June 2023

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Local Government

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

08 September 2021 - 25 May 2022

Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Substitute Member

11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Equalities

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Older People

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

20 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Local Government and Communities Committee

Substitute Member

29 June 2017 - 04 May 2021

Social Security Committee

Member

25 February 2020 - 20 August 2020

Local Government and Communities Committee

Member

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Housing

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Communities

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Welfare

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

10 September 2019 - 25 February 2020

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Member

28 June 2017 - 18 February 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Welfare

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

29 September 2016 - 29 June 2017

Equalities and Human Rights Committee

Member

26 May 2016 - 28 June 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Children

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

08 June 2016 - 29 September 2016

Equal Opportunities Committee

Member

Register of interests

Jeremy'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 Jeremy Balfour. The date of their initial statement was 01 June 2021.

Remuneration and related undertaking

No registrable interests

Gifts

No registrable interests

Overseas visits

From 21 to 23 August 2019 I travelled to Stockholm on a fact finding visit. The costs of the visit, for flights, were £223.38 and were met by UK Feminista (a charitable organisation which promotes equality between men and women of Omnibus Business Centre, North Road, London, N7 9DP).

From 9 t o 13 October 2017, I participated in a cross-party visit to the Republic of China (Taiwan), at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). The trip was arranged by the Taipei Representative Office (Edinburgh Office) in the UK, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) (of 1 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7PE). I met a number of Government departments, as well as trade and cultural organisations. The cost of the visit was £3,900 for return flights, and the hotel and ancillary expenses was £2,600. All costs were met by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan).

From 20 to 30 August 2018 I was part of a Tearfund delegation travelling to Rwanda to learn how projects in relation to genocide reconciliation and new business projects are transforming lives. The costs of the visit amounted to £1,700 and were met by Tearfund Scotland (a Christian charity of 29 Canal St, Glasgow G4 0AD).

From 4 July to 8 July 2022 I visited Munich and Berlin, Germany, as part of a cross-Party delegation from the Scottish Parliament, meeting Parliamentarians, public officials and business representatives, as a guest of the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The costs of the visit, including travel, accommodation, meals and translation services amounted to £1460 and were paid by the Hanns Seidel Foundation (a political research foundation of Munich, Germany). [Registered 1 August 2022]

Controlled transactions

No registrable interests

Heritable property

No registrable interests

Interest in shares

No registrable interests

Voluntary

No registrable interests

Recent Activity

What was said

What Jeremy Balfour 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: 13 March 2025

Young Carers Action Day 2025

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "It is a real privilege to take part in the debate, and I thank the member for lodging the motion. I, too, welcome all the people in the public gallery. They have brought the average age of this Parliament down dramatically in the past half an hour…

Chamber meeting date: 12 March 2025

Fishing Industry (Parliamentary Debates)

1. Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to propose scheduling time for a parliamentary debate on the fishing industry. (S6O-04410)"

Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 6 March 2025

Social Security Up-rating (Scotland) Order 2025 [Draft]

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "Good morning, cabinet secretary. Again, for the record, I point out that I receive adult disability payment…

Chamber meeting date: 27 February 2025

Housing (Scotland) Bill (Homelessness Prevention)

3. Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which two local authority areas have been identified as areas for the planned homelessness prevention pilots, in light of reports that the pilots are due to commence in the spring of this year. (S6O-04364)"

Votes

How Jeremy Balfour has voted in Parliament

Find out how Jeremy Balfour has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-16777.2

Adoption of Innovation in Health and Social Care

Submitted by: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 13, 2025

Result 47 for, 63 against, 0 abstained, 19 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-16755

Protecting Single-sex Spaces in the Public Sector

Submitted by: Russell Findlay, West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 10, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Result 61 for, 31 against, 20 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16755.3

Protecting Single-sex Spaces in the Public Sector

Submitted by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dunfermline, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Supported by: Paul McLennan, Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Result 57 for, 50 against, 7 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16749

Appointment of Chair to Environmental Standards Scotland

Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 10, 2025

Supported by: Alasdair Allan
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Result 83 for, 1 against, 22 abstained, 23 did not vote

MSP abstained

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16750.4

Supporting Households with Cost of Living Pressures and Rising Energy Bills

Submitted by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, March 10, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Result 19 for, 88 against, 0 abstained, 22 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motions

Questions

Questions Jeremy Balfour has asked

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

Question ref. S6W-35449

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to provide vehicles and equipment under the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme, from organisations other than Motability, it has (a) approved and (b) rejected in each of the last five years, and what steps it is taking to broaden the range and scope of such providers, in particular those…

Answer expected on 20 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35118

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 21 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the outcomes of the long COVID support service pilot that took place across Edinburgh in 2022-23, including whether it considers it to have been successful."

Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35116

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 21 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the outcomes of the £10 million that it designated in 2023-24 to support people with long COVID, including how this was spent."

Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35117

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 21 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what support is currently in place for people with long COVID."

Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 March 2025

Question ref. S6O-04410

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 5 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to propose scheduling time for a parliamentary debate on the fishing industry."

Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35026

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government when Transport Scotland plans to publish the next version of its Disability and Transport report, which was last published in 2023, and whether it will commit to publishing updated versions of the publication each year, taking account of the annual data made available through the Scottish Household Survey and other…

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-34873

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 17 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that SportScotland is making staff redundancies, and what its position is on whether this is in relation to reported costs incurred as a result of internal investigations involving Cricket Scotland."

Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-34523

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out on the impact on its four strategic priorities of the UK Government’s decision to raise employer national insurance contributions on public and third sector bodies."

Answered by Shona Robison on 27 February 2025

Question ref. S6W-34524

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how important the third sector is to its priority of eradicating child poverty, and what impact (a) inflation has had and (b) the UK Government’s decision to raise employer national insurance contributions will have on that sector’s ability to achieve this goal."

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 February 2025

Question ref. S6W-34521

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the potential cost to the third sector in Scotland of the UK Government’s decision to raise employer national insurance contributions, and what plans it has to help alleviate any additional costs, including inflationary costs, arising from this decision that are facing…

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 February 2025

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