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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 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 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 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.

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 £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 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.

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 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]

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]

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: 1 October 2025

Mobile Phones in Schools

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "It is a pleasure to close for Scottish Labour in the debate. I will perhaps contradict some of the contributions, which I have found remarkably interesting…

Chamber meeting date: 1 October 2025

Urban Gulls Summit

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Emily Burton, who is a senior conservation officer at the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick and who was at the summit, said: “Local authorities, businesses, and individuals need consistent and clear advice on tried and tested, effective solutions for living alongside gulls, together with information about where funding can be found to…

Chamber meeting date: 30 September 2025

Techscaler Programme

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "The Sunday Post asked CodeBase what kind of selection process was carried out. The response was: “Ultimately, the value they” —that is, the contributing individuals— “derive from these programmes depends on their own commitment and approach…

Chamber meeting date: 24 September 2025

Residential Outdoor Education

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "The minister said that the Government respects the will of the Parliament. That is as it should be, although the progress of this part of the bill has involved a U-turn for the Scottish Government…

Chamber meeting date: 24 September 2025

Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab): "Very nice."

Votes

How Martin Whitfield has voted in Parliament

Find out how Martin Whitfield has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-19123

Mobile Phones in Schools

Submitted by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, Glasgow, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, September 29, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Result 85 for, 26 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-19124.1

Protecting Scotland’s Fire Service

Submitted by: Sharon Dowey, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Result 54 for, 56 against, 2 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6M-19124

Protecting Scotland’s Fire Service

Submitted by: Katy Clark, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, September 29, 2025

Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Result 56 for, 53 against, 3 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-19124.2

Protecting Scotland’s Fire Service

Submitted by: Siobhian Brown, Ayr, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Supported by: Angela Constance
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Result 55 for, 52 against, 3 abstained, 19 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-19123.1

Mobile Phones in Schools

Submitted by: Miles Briggs, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Result 49 for, 62 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

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 reference: S6T-02704

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:6 October 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to meet the interim and final child poverty reduction targets, in light of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s finding in its report, Poverty in Scotland 2025, that current levels remain largely unchanged since 2021."

Question reference: S6O-05057

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:1 October 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on youth work provision of its budget decisions, in light of the most recent YouthLink Scotland survey indicating that the majority of young people accessing youth work do so through the voluntary sector."

Question reference: S6W-40565

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:17 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with the UK Government regarding the UK–US nuclear power partnership."

Question reference: S6W-40567

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:17 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the contribution of the nuclear power sector to the economy of East Lothian in the last five years."

Question reference: S6W-40569

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:17 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the reported decision by some EU member states to reverse their previous policy and expand nuclear power, and what assessment it has made of any implications of this for Scotland’s energy policy."

Question reference: S6W-40566

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:17 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has made of the number of supply-chain contracts that Scotland-based firms could be awarded if new nuclear power capacity was developed in the country."

Question reference: S6W-40562

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:17 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of other parts of the UK reportedly pursuing new nuclear power projects, what calculation it has carried out of the potential economic impact on Scotland of it not doing so."

Question reference: S6W-40568

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:17 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the risk to Scotland’s energy security if Torness nuclear power station closes before new baseload capacity is available."

Question reference: S6W-40570

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:17 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what research it has commissioned on the potential role of small modular reactors in Scotland’s future energy mix."

Question reference: S6W-40563

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged:17 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government on what dates since 2021 its ministers have met the Nuclear Industry Association, and what (a) issues were discussed and (b) the outcomes were."

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