Mercedes Villalba
Scottish Labour
MSP for North East Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day
About Mercedes Villalba
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 6390
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Mercedes is a member of 2 committees
Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Mercedes is a member of 13 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Bangladesh
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Creative Economy
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Cuba
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Drug and Alcohol Misuse
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Medicinal Cannabis
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Migration
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nature and Climate
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nuclear Disarmament
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Palestine
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Rural Policy
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Sustainable Uplands Management
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Taiwan
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Tibet
Co-Convener
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Mercedes does not have any parliamentary or government roles
Party Roles
Mercedes has 2 party roles
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Biodiversity
Scottish Labour
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Environment
Scottish Labour
Previous roles
Mercedes does not have any previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
Register of interests
Mercedes'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 Mercedes Villalba. The date of their initial statement was 08 June 2021.
Remuneration and related undertaking
No registrable interests
Gifts
No registrable interests
Overseas visits
From 27 May to 2 June 2022 I took part in an international delegation to Colombia to monitor the current state of trade union rights, human rights and the peace deal signed between the Colombian state and the FARC-EP in November 2016. The delegation was organised by the British-Irish organisation, Justice for Colombia (75 St John Street, London, EC1M 4NN), which campaigns in support of peace and human rights in Colombia. The costs, which were met by Justice for Colombia, were as follows: internal travel, hotels and food £900; logistical and organisational support £583; and international travel £862. [Registered 24 June 2022]
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
Member of University and College Union.
Member of ACORN tenants' union.
As a funded PhD student prior to the election, I received a monthly stipend of £1,273.75. I received the last stipend on 28 May 2021, but returned this to the university on 8 June 2021.
Member of Unite the Union.
Member of Living Rent tenants' union.
Recent Activity
What was said
What Mercedes Villalba 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: 29 September 2022
Proposed Rent Freeze
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "Scotland’s tenants union, Living Rent, continues to report rent increases on its members despite the First Minister’s announcement of a rent freeze on 6 September…
Chamber meeting date: 28 September 2022
Covid Recovery Strategy (Dundee)
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "Although the money that has been allocated to councils through the local authority Covid economic recovery fund is welcome, it does little to reverse the damage to local services that has been caused by a decade of cuts…
Chamber meeting date: 28 September 2022
4 Day Week Global Pilot
6. Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the survey of participants in 4 Day Week Global’s pilot. (S6O-01393)"
Chamber meeting date: 8 September 2022
Tenants (Support)
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "When Living Rent and I first raised the need for an emergency rent freeze with the First Minister, in April, the average rent in Scotland was £780. It now stands at £840, which is at least a 10 per cent increase in just five months…
Chamber meeting date: 7 September 2022
General Practice (Patient Satisfaction)
3. Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the health and care experience survey 2021-22 in relation to patient satisfaction with GP services. (S6O-01318)"
Votes
How Mercedes Villalba has voted in Parliament
Find out how Mercedes Villalba has voted recently.
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Result 28 for, 85 against, 0 abstained, 16 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Result 21 for, 93 against, 0 abstained, 15 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Result 48 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 15 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Result 50 for, 63 against, 0 abstained, 16 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Result 27 for, 86 against, 0 abstained, 16 no vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Mercedes Villalba in Parliament
Find out what motions Mercedes Villalba has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Mercedes Villalba 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: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 30 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that Green Freeport status in Aberdeen Harbour would have on the contract for Northern Isles Ferry Services."
Answered by: Ivan McKee on 5 October 2022
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 30 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that Green Freeport status would have on the provision of inter-island ferry services in Orkney."
Answered by: Ivan McKee on 5 October 2022
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 30 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding the future (a) budget and (b) procurement process for replacing the large and small ferry fleet at Orkney Ferries."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 30 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the delivery of ferry services for island communities in Scotland."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 30 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10575 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 3,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 30 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10495 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 1,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 30 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10496 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 2,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 25 August 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09839 by Tom Arthur on 11 August 2022, what information it holds on the annual totals of ownership changes of land over 3,000 hectares broken down by (a) sales and (b) transfers and succession."
Answered by: Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Scottish Water regarding its progress towards installing spill monitors on all sewer overflows that discharge to designated bathing waters by the end of 2024."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Villalba, Mercedes, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 6 September 2022
"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the analysis of responses to its consultation on A New Deal for Tenants, what engagement it has planned with the tenants' union, Living Rent, on (a) the development of an effective system of national rent controls and (b) emergency financial measures to support tenants during the…
Awaiting answer
See all of Mercedes Villalba's written questions submitted in Parliament