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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 2 committees

Education and Gaelic Committee

Deputy Convener

Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Substitute Member

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.

MSP Employer Pledge (Consultation)

Chamber meeting date: 24 September 2026

6. Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it consulted MSP staff trade unions on the contents of the employer pledge that MSPs were asked to sign up to. (S7O-00300)"

Creative Economy

Chamber meeting date: 24 September 2026

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "I will have to be careful with my time today because, given that we are discussing Scotland’s creative economy, I could use all my time talking about the endless quality and value of the cultural organisations across Edinburgh and Lothians East—from the grass-roots clubs and schools that bring professional artists into local communities to give…

Inquiry into White Working-class Educational Outcomes

Chamber meeting date: 24 September 2026

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "Each of us in the chamber understands the importance of a good education for getting the best start in life. Mr Bonnar, Mr Kerr and I are the same in having grown up in working-class homes, and I am a proud product of a Scottish state education…

Scottish Attainment Challenge Funding

Chamber meeting date: 23 September 2026

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "The Scottish attainment challenge fund is used in a diverse number of ways to suit the needs of local areas. The success story in Falkirk has been mentioned. However, just because a problem is local does not make it unique…

Flood Resilience

Chamber meeting date: 23 September 2026

Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab): "As I drove through some flooded roads to get to the Parliament today, I reflected on the irony of us debating flooding. There is no doubt that climate change is real and that it is here now…

Votes

How Katherine Sangster has voted in Parliament

Find out how Katherine Sangster has voted recently.

Growing Scotland’s Creative Economy

Motion ref. S7M-01304.2

Submitted by: Q Manivannan, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, September 24, 2026

Result 99 for, 16 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Growing Scotland’s Creative Economy

Motion ref. S7M-01304.4

Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, September 24, 2026

Result 40 for, 65 against, 7 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Growing Scotland’s Creative Economy

Motion ref. S7M-01304

Submitted by: Màiri McAllan, Clydesdale, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Supported by: Siobhian Brown, Martyn Day, Alyn Smith
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, September 24, 2026

Result 89 for, 22 against, 1 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Growing Scotland’s Creative Economy

Motion ref. S7M-01304.3

Submitted by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, September 24, 2026

Result 46 for, 53 against, 15 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Growing Scotland’s Creative Economy

Motion ref. S7M-01304.1

Submitted by: David Kirkwood, South Scotland, Reform UK . Date lodged: Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, September 24, 2026

Result 15 for, 93 against, 7 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

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: S7O-00300

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

Date lodged: 17 September 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it consulted MSP staff trade unions on the contents of the employer pledge that MSPs were asked to sign up to."

Question reference: S7W-02897

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

Date lodged: 3 September 2026

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 16 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to introducing breakfast clubs across all special schools from August 2027."

Question reference: S7O-00243

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

Date lodged: 9 September 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 September 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that students who are enrolled in, but not regularly attending college courses, are accurately classified in statistics on young people who are not in education, employment or training."

Question reference: S7W-01283

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

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 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-01289

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

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 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-01292

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

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 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-01277

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

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 July 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what is being done in the short term to mitigate any risks for children where there is a lack of safe alternative accommodation"

Question reference: S7W-01290

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

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 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: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 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-01276

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

Date lodged: 24 June 2026

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 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"