Skip to main content
Loading…

Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

Image description

Martin Whitfield

Scottish Labour

MSP for South Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day

About Martin Whitfield

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @_MWhitfield

Facebook: Martin's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 5827
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Cross-party groups

Martin is a member of 1 cross-party group

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on St Andrew's Day

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Martin has 2 parliamentary and government roles

Conveners Group

Member

Parliamentary Bureau

Member

Party Roles

Martin has 3 party roles

Business Manager

Scottish Labour

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Children

Scottish Labour

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Young People

Scottish Labour

Previous roles

Martin has had 3 previous roles

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

31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Lifelong Learning

Scottish Labour

31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Youth Employment

Scottish Labour

17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021

Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Member

Register of interests

Martin'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 Martin Whitfield. The date of their initial statement was 08 June 2021.

Remuneration and related undertaking

Until 6 May 2021, I was employed by East Lothian Council (of John Muir House, Brewery Park, Haddington, East Lothian EH41 3HA) as a primary teacher. I worked approximately 35 hours a week and received remuneration of between £40,001 and £45,000 per annum.

Gifts

On 5 December 2023 and on 12 December 2024 I received food hampers valued at approximately £150 and £185 respectively from Community Windpower Ltd (Godscroft Lane, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 6XU). The gift was to me as an individual. [Registered 18 December 2024]

On Saturday 5 February 2022 I attended a rugby match at Murrayfield, as a guest of BT Group Plc (a telecommunications company of BT Centre, 81 Newgate Street, London, EC1A 7AJ). The value of the gift amounted to £325 for both the ticket and hospitality. [Registered 9 February 2022]

On 23 November 2023 I attended the Herald Scottish Politician of The Year Awards as a guest of Newsquest Media Group LTD (publisher of newspaper of Loudwater Mill, Station Road, Loudwater, High Wycombe, Bucks HP10 9TY) at Prestonfield Hotel in Edinburgh. The gift was to me as an individual and that the value including VAT was £360. [Registered 12 December 2023]

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 EIS.

I am a Trustee of Garden Elf, a small charity working with schools on gardening. I have no financial interests arising from this role.

I was paid £75 by Savanta on 21 November 2022 for completing a survey. [Registered 12 December 2022]

Between 12 June and 19 June 2022 I travelled to Jersey to head an Electoral Observation Mission on behalf of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region (CPA BIMR). The purpose of the visit was to observe the Island election as BIMR did in 2018. An initial report was published at the end of the visit with a full report being prepared with the mission's observations and recommendations. The total cost of the visit, met by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, was £3,000. [Registered 3 August 2022]

I was paid £100 by You Gov on 27 July 2021 for completing a survey.

I was paid £150 from Ipsos MORI for their Annual Survey of MSPs on 22 December 2021. I donated this fee to charity. [Registered 22 December 2021]

I was paid £170 by You Gov on 11 November 2021 for completing a survey. [Registered 2 December 2021]

I received a bottle of whisky from the Scotch Whisky Association, the nominal value for the COP26 Limited Edition Blended Scotch Whisky to be £30, although it is not for commercial sale. [Registered 22 December 2021]

On 26 February 2022 I was the guest of NatWest Group at Scotland France 6 Nations Rugby Game. The value of the gift was ticket valued at £111.50 and hospitality of £35.00. The combined value of this gift and hospitality is below the threshold for registration in the Gifts category. [Registered 2 March 2022]

On 5 December 2023 I received a gift of a food hamper valued at approximately £150 from Community Windpower Ltd (Godscroft Lane, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 6XU). The gift was to me as an individual. [Registered 12 December 2023]

I was paid £100 by You Gov on 21 November 2022 for completing a survey. [Registered 12 December 2022]

I am a Trustee and Chair of the Burke-Veitch Scholarship which provides funds to allow children / young people to attend drama school. I have no financial interests arising from this role.

On the 27 April 2022, I attended the Sunday Mail Young Scot Awards 2022, as a guest of Young Scot. The hospitality had a value of £150. [Registered 4 May 2022]

Recent Activity

What was said

What Martin Whitfield 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: 26 June 2025

Children with Disabilities and Additional Support Needs (Holiday Hub Provision)

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Further to the answers that the cabinet secretary has already given, which I am grateful for, would not national guidance on the definition of “appropriate” in section 27 of the 1995 act resolve some of the challenges, because, in essence, there is a postcode lottery as to what “appropriate” means?"

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "I will speak on behalf of Scottish Labour to various elements of the LCM. I compliment both committees that were involved in this matter—I appreciate the challenge in being able to scrutinise legislative consent memorandums…

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "It is always a pleasure to follow Stephen Kerr, even when his oration—we might call it a salad of linguistic excitement—on the bill that is ploughing its way through the Westminster houses might lead to both entertainment and concern…

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Product Regulation and Metrology Bill

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "This has been a fascinating debate on the legislative consent motion because, in quite amicable terms, it has highlighted one of the challenges that this Parliament and the Scottish Government have faced regarding legislative consent motions…

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Employment Rights Bill

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "I thank the minister, the committee and its convener, Clare Haughey, for their contributions to the debate…

Votes

How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament

Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-18081

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Natalie Don-Innes, Renfrewshire North and West, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Supported by: Graeme Dey, Jenny Gilruth
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 87 for, 0 against, 28 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18075

Employment Rights Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Richard Lochhead, Moray, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 23, 2025

Supported by: Tom Arthur, Kate Forbes
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 88 for, 1 against, 27 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18080

Product Regulation and Metrology Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Richard Lochhead, Moray, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 80 for, 0 against, 34 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18076

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Kaukab Stewart, Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 23, 2025

Supported by: Shirley-Anne Somerville
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 86 for, 0 against, 28 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18133

Suspension of Standing Orders

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Result 82 for, 29 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motions

Questions

Questions Martin Whitfield has asked

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

Question ref. S6W-37998

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is for mitigating any potential delays on (a) the M74, (b) the A1 and (c) other key transport corridors in an independent Scotland in the event that customs infrastructure is introduced."

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38012

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what engagement it has had with foreign investors regarding access to the UK market in an independent Scotland, and whether it has received representations from any foreign investors expressing concerns on this matter."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 26 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-37999

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what economic modelling it has undertaken of the potential impact on Scotland’s GDP growth of introducing a hard border with the rest of the UK."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38003

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, whether it has undertaken any internal economic modelling of the potential impact on trade of introducing customs checks at Gretna and Berwick in an independent Scotland, and, if so, whether it will publish this."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38008

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what assessment it has made of any potential disruption to Scottish public procurement contracts held by suppliers based in England under any border regime in an independent Scotland."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38009

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what estimate it has made of the number of staff that would be required to operate any customs or border posts along the Anglo-Scottish border in an independent Scotland."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38007

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on what the arrangements would be for residents who commute daily between Dumfries and Cumbria or the Borders and Northumberland in the event of a hard border between an independent Scotland and England."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38006

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what assessment it has made of the potential impact of any border delays on the viability of transporting perishable goods such as seafood and fresh produce from an independent Scotland to the rest of the UK."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38005

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what assessment it has made of the potential additional average time per freight journey resulting from any customs procedures when crossing the border from an independent Scotland into England."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38014

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, whether it will commit to publishing a full impact assessment of the potential (a) economic and (b) social implications of any hard border between an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK, in advance of any future independence referendum being…

Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 June 2025

Share this page