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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
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Katherine Sangster

Scottish Labour

MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East (Region)

About Katherine Sangster

Contact details

Contact online

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Career as MSP

Career as MSP

Scottish Labour
MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East (Region)
07 May 2026 to present

Committees

Katherine Sangster is a member of 1 committee

Education and Gaelic Committee

Deputy Convener

Cross-party groups

Katherine Sangster is not a member of any cross-party groups

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Katherine Sangster does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Katherine Sangster has 1 party role

Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic

Scottish Labour

Previous roles

Katherine Sangster had the following role in Parliament

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

11 June 2026 to 23 June 2026

Education and Gaelic Committee

Member

Register of interests

Katherine Sangster'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 Katherine Sangster. The date of their initial statement was 10 June 2026.

Remuneration and related undertaking

Until 8 May 2026, when I resigned, I was a Director at The Fabian Society, a think tank (of 61 Petty France, Westminster, London, SW1H 9EU). I worked 8 hours per week and received remuneration of between £10,001 and £15,000 per annum. I received a final salary payment of £425.67 on 19 May 2026.

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

No registrable interests.

Recent Activity

Official Report

What Katherine Sangster 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.

Prison Population

Chamber meeting date: 25 June 2026

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "There is no doubt that Scotland’s prisons are under immense pressure. Once again, our prison population has reached a record level and, as we have heard, it is circa 800 over capacity and heading upwards…

Breakfast Clubs (Primary and Special Schools)

Chamber meeting date: 24 June 2026

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Government what specific support it plans to provide to primary and special schools to enable the delivery of universal breakfast clubs. (S7O-00117)"

Breakfast Clubs (Primary and Special Schools)

Chamber meeting date: 24 June 2026

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Government what specific support it plans to provide to primary and special schools to enable the delivery of universal breakfast clubs. (S7O-00117)"

Priorities

Education and Gaelic Committee meeting date: 23 June 2026

Katherine Sangster: "One of my main priorities is the delivery of the 1,140 hours of early learning and childcare, which leads on from the previous committee’s legacy report and my own campaign interests—it is really important…

Interests

Education and Gaelic Committee meeting date: 23 June 2026

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "I have no interests to declare. However, like George Adam, I put on the record that I have four children, two of whom are still in the education system."

Votes

How Katherine Sangster has voted in Parliament

Find out how Katherine Sangster has voted recently.

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469

Submitted by: Neil Gray, Airdrie, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Supported by: Kirsten Oswald
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 89 for, 31 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469.5

Submitted by: Stephen Kerr, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Supported by: James Adams
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 26 for, 78 against, 15 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469.3

Submitted by: Maggie Chapman, North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Supported by: Kate Nevens
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 16 for, 104 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469.1

Submitted by: Amanda Bland, Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK . Date lodged: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 26 for, 94 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Achieving a Sustainable Prison Population

Motion ref. S7M-00469.2

Submitted by: Pauline McNeill, Glasgow, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 25, 2026

Result 65 for, 53 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motions

Motions made by Katherine Sangster in Parliament

Find out what motions Katherine Sangster has submitted recently.

Questions

Questions Katherine Sangster has asked

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

Question reference: S7W-01295

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that schools can maintain individual flexibility while delivering universal breakfast clubs in all primary and special schools."

Question reference: S7W-01291

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has engaged with COSLA on any work force planning issues to support the delivery of universal breakfast clubs in all primary and special schools."

Question reference: S7W-01289

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its news release of 14 January 2026, Expansion of breakfast clubs, whether it will clarify the difference in wording between the references to the “introduction of universal breakfast club services by August 2027” and “a national breakfast club programme across all primary and special…

Question reference: S7W-01276

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that social workers are taking children home to ensure their safety due to a lack of alternative accommodation, (a) what action it it taking and (b) how it will ensure that this does not become normal practice"

Question reference: S7W-01292

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government how many extra school staff it anticipates local authorities will need to recruit in order to support the delivery of universal breakfast clubs in all primary and special schools."

Question reference: S7W-01290

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of any work force planning issues to support the delivery of universal breakfast clubs in all primary and special schools."

Question reference: S7W-01294

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government how much funding will be allocated per pupil to support the delivery of universal breakfast clubs in all primary and special schools."

Question reference: S7W-01283

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is being given to ensuring that local authorities that have already implemented bans on mobile phones in schools do not incur additional costs when any national guidance is introduced."

Question reference: S7W-01278

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what is being done in the short term to mitigate any risks to social workers when action is taken to house a child in their own home overnight, where there is a lack of safe alternative accommodation."

Question reference: S7W-01293

Asked by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 22 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government Government how much funding will be allocated per local authority to support the delivery of universal breakfast clubs in all primary and special schools."