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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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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 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 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 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 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 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 £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: 5 June 2025

Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "One of the challenges with local heat and energy efficiency strategies is that they cross local authority areas…

Chamber meeting date: 5 June 2025

Thomas Blake Glover

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Like other members, I thank Karen Adam for securing this phenomenally important debate, on a day on which its importance to members here should not have been overshadowed by events elsewhere…

Chamber meeting date: 4 June 2025

Online Bullying (Schools)

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "I am very grateful, Deputy Presiding Officer. The bullying that occurs online frequently travels over the wi-fi that is provided by schools…

Chamber meeting date: 3 June 2025

Public Participation Inquiry

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Will Jackson Carlaw take the opportunity in his speech to talk about the importance of the questions that are framed for those groups? What is asked, as well as how that is asked, is of great importance."

Chamber meeting date: 29 May 2025

Play Parks (Renewal)

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "The Scottish Government’s promise was to renew every play park. Will it be every play park?"

Votes

How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament

Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-17785

Empowering Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 2, 2025

Supported by: Tom Arthur, Richard Lochhead
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Result 84 for, 28 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17785.2

Empowering Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Submitted by: Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Result 55 for, 57 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17785.3

Empowering Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Result 28 for, 83 against, 0 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17670.2

Addressing the Inadequate Provision for Neurodevelopmental Conditions

Submitted by: Dr Sandesh Gulhane, Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Result 49 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17670

Addressing the Inadequate Provision for Neurodevelopmental Conditions

Submitted by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Thursday, May 22, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Result 96 for, 18 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted against

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-38454

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37806 by Natalie Don-Innes on 4 June 2025, how many early learning and childcare settings have been evaluated as "very good" by the Care Inspectorate, in each year from 2015 to 2024, also expressed as a percentage."

Answer expected on 20 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38452

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37806 by Natalie Don-Innes on 4 June 2025, how many early learning and childcare settings have been evaluated as "excellent" by the Care Inspectorate, in each year from 2015 to 2024, also expressed as a percentage."

Answer expected on 20 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38453

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37806 by Natalie Don-Innes on 4 June 2025, how many early learning and childcare settings have been evaluated as "good" by the Care Inspectorate, in each year from 2015 to 2024, also expressed as a percentage."

Answer expected on 20 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38451

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37806 by Natalie Don-Innes on 4 June 2025, how many early learning and childcare settings have been evaluated as "unsatisfactory" by the Care Inspectorate, in each year from 2015 to 2024, also expressed as a percentage."

Answer expected on 20 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38456

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37806 by Natalie Don-Innes on 4 June 2025, how many early learning and childcare settings have been evaluated as "weak" by the Care Inspectorate, in each year from 2015 to 2024, also expressed as a percentage."

Answer expected on 20 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-38455

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37806 by Natalie Don-Innes on 4 June 2025, how many early learning and childcare settings have been evaluated as "adequate" by the Care Inspectorate, in each year from 2015 to 2024, also expressed as a percentage."

Answer expected on 20 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-37858

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the early learning and childcare workforce currently holds an SCQF Level 9 qualification or above, and how this compares with the proportion in 2017."

Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 5 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-37866

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address any regional inequalities in the early learning and childcare workforce in (a) general and (b) relation to (i) recruitment and (ii) retention in (A) rural and (B) deprived areas."

Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 5 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-37857

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to reform or modernise the role of (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) Skills Development Scotland, (c) the Scottish Social Services Council and (d) other national agencies involved in early learning and childcare workforce planning."

Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 5 June 2025

Question ref. S6W-37818

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many times its ministers have intervened in the delivery of local early learning as a result of any failures in (a) infrastructure and (b) staffing, since 2015."

Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 5 June 2025

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