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
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on St Andrew's Day
Member
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
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
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 £100 by You Gov on 27 July 2021 for completing a survey.
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 am a Member of EIS.
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 October 2021
Covid-19
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Recently, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills told members that she believed that the lateral flow testing rates in schools were too low and that she would like to see higher figures. Since then, rates have reduced again…
Chamber meeting date: 7 October 2021
Scottish Qualifications Authority (Public Sector Equality Duty)
6. Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the announcement that the Scottish Qualifications Authority has entered a two-year agreement with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to improve equalities practices after the Commission established that the SQA was not routinely assessing the impact of its policies and…
Chamber meeting date: 7 October 2021
Lifelong Learning and Reskilling (Rural Areas)
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "I will allow the minister to extend slightly further…
Chamber meeting date: 7 October 2021
Point of Order
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I seek your guidance, under standing order rule 13…
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee meeting date: 7 October 2021
Decision on Taking Business in Private
The Convener: "Item 2 is a decision on taking items 7 to 10 in private…
Votes
How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament
Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.
Carer's Allowance Supplement (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Ben Macpherson, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, October 5, 2021
Supported by: Shona Robison
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 118 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 51 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 51 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 51 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 7, 2021
Result 50 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP voted for
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: 28 September 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government which of its departments was responsible for the decision for non-symptomatic school pupils to be offered COVID-19 lateral flow tests, as opposed to PCR tests; who made the decision, and when."
Answered by: Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 October 2021
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 28 September 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether essential workers who are (a) unwilling and (b) unable to have a COVID-19 vaccine should instead be allowed to undertake regular (i) lateral flow and (ii) PCR tests to enable them to work…
Answered by: Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2021
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported backlog with the provision of (a) MS and (b) other neurology services."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) attract more and (b) retain (i) neurology specialists and (ii) MS nurses."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support people who have (a) MS and (b) other neurological conditions with managing their condition while they are waiting for treatment."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 12 October 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to new medicines for people living with progressive forms of MS."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 September 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what arrangement it has with Openreach to access private land to facilitate the roll-out of fibre optic broadband."
Answered by: Kate Forbes on 28 September 2021
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 9 September 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to involve the third sector in the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund."
Answered by: Clare Haughey on 23 September 2021
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 9 September 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an annual breakdown for the allocation of the £500 million Whole Family Wellbeing Fund set out in the Programme for Government, and whether any of this funding will be redirected from pre-existing budgets."
Answered by: Clare Haughey on 23 September 2021
Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 9 September 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund will be operational, and what the mechanism for distribution will be."
Answered by: Clare Haughey on 23 September 2021
See all of Martin Whitfield's written questions submitted in Parliament