Martin Whitfield
Scottish Labour
MSP for South Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day
About Martin Whitfield
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
Website: martinwhitfieldmsp.com
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
Martin is a member of 2 committees
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Martin is a member of 1 cross-party group
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Martin has 1 parliamentary and government role
Conveners Group
Member
Party Roles
Martin has 4 party roles
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Children
Scottish Labour
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Lifelong Learning
Scottish Labour
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Young People
Scottish Labour
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Youth Employment
Scottish Labour
Previous roles
Martin had 1 previous role
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
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 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]
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 Trustee of Garden Elf, a small charity working with schools on gardening. I have no financial interests arising from this role.
I am a Member of EIS.
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.
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]
I was paid £100 by You Gov on 27 July 2021 for completing a survey.
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]
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]
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: 28 June 2022
Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Does the member agree that one of the challenges that we face is that, even before the Covid investigation has taken place, assumptions are being made by the Government about what is and is not needed following Covid?"
Chamber meeting date: 9 June 2022
Census
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "The cabinet secretary talked about the personal responsibility for completing the census, which is correct…
Chamber meeting date: 9 June 2022
Scottish Local Government Elections (Candidacy Rights of Foreign Nationals) Bill: Stage 3
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Will the minister take an intervention?"
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee meeting date: 9 June 2022
Cross-Party Group
The Convener: "For our next item, I welcome Katy Clark MSP, who is the potential convener of the proposed cross-party group on Europe. Good morning, Katy. Will you explain the purposes of the group?"
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee meeting date: 9 June 2022
Decision on Taking Business in Private
The Convener (Martin Whitfield): "Good morning, and welcome to the 14th meeting in 2022 of the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee…
Votes
How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament
Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.
Business Programme
Submitted by: George Adam, Paisley, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Result 63 for, 47 against, 0 abstained, 19 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Northern Ireland Protocol Bill
Submitted by: Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Result 85 for, 25 against, 0 abstained, 19 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Business Programme
Submitted by: Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Donald Cameron, Jackson Carlaw, Finlay Carson, Sharon Dowey, Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Maurice Golden, Pam Gosal, Jamie Greene, Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Rachael Hamilton, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Dean Lockhart, Douglas Lumsden, Edward Mountain, Oliver Mundell, Douglas Ross, Graham Simpson, Liz Smith, Alexander Stewart, Sue Webber, Annie Wells, Tess White, Brian Whittle
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Result 47 for, 63 against, 0 abstained, 19 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Ash Regan, Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Supported by: Keith Brown
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Result 84 for, 0 against, 25 abstained, 20 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Northern Ireland Protocol Bill
Submitted by: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Result 25 for, 85 against, 0 abstained, 19 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Martin Whitfield in Parliament
Find out what motions Martin Whitfield has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Martin Whitfield has submitted in Parliament
These are the questions that this MSP has asked the Scottish Government about its work. It also includes any answer to these questions.
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 16 June 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been registered for home schooling in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021 and (d) 2022 to date, broken down by month."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 16 June 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government how many home checks have taken place on those registered for home schooling in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021 and (d) 2022 to date, broken down by month."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 16 June 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for inspections and check-ups on those children who have been registered for home schooling."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 11 May 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government whether any adjustment has been made to the future budget for the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme for the 2022-23 academic year, in light of the recent increase in the retail price of milk."
Answered by: Clare Haughey on 24 May 2022
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 April 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its Rare Disease Action Plan."
Answered by: Maree Todd on 10 May 2022
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 April 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has made available for the creation and implementation of its Rare Disease Action Plan in (a) the current financial year and (b) each of the last five years."
Answered by: Maree Todd on 10 May 2022
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 4 April 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of paragraph 28 of the Audit Scotland report, New vessels for the Clyde and Hebrides, stating that “it is not clear what discussions took place between Scottish ministers and Transport Scotland about the contract award...there is no documented evidence to confirm why Scottish ministers were willing to…
Answered by: Kate Forbes on 4 May 2022
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 4 February 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government whether young people who have received an email confirmation that they will receive a travel card for free bus travel, but have not received it, are able to claim back their bus travel costs between 1 February 2022 and the date on which they received their card, and if this is the case, what the process is for them to…
Answered by: Jenny Gilruth on 3 March 2022
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 15 February 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government how many undergraduate and postgraduate students have presented as homeless since May 2016, broken down by higher education institution."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 31 January 2022
Awaiting answer
See all of Martin Whitfield's written questions submitted in Parliament