Scottish Labour
MSP for North East Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day
Email: [email protected]
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 6390
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Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
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Scottish Labour
Scottish Labour
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
25 April 2023 - 25 September 2024
Substitute Member
25 April 2023 - 16 November 2023
Member
01 February 2023 - 25 April 2023
Member
22 September 2021 - 25 April 2023
Substitute Member
17 June 2021 - 01 February 2023
Member
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.
No registrable interests
No registrable interests
From 8 to 13 November 2025, I visited Ramallah, Palestine, to attend a congress to examine the rapid intensification of the illegal Israeli occupation, and strategies to challenge it in accordance with international law. The costs of £956 for travel and £378 for accommodation and expenses were met by Progressive International (Services) Ltd (of 71-75 Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9JQ) which is an organisation that unites, organises and mobilises the world’s progressive forces. [Registered 20 November 2025]
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]
From 17 to 24 October 2023, I took part in the International Visitors Program for the 2023 General Elections of Argentina in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The program was organised by the Directorate for Electoral Cooperation and Assistance of the Ministry of the Interior of Argentina (Gascón 352 - Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires) which manages issues pertaining to domestic politics such as immigration and co-ordination between the federal government and the governments of the provinces of Argentina. The costs, which were met by the Ministry, were as follows: internal travel, hotels and food £850; logistical and organisational support £600; and international travel £1,200. [Registered 14 November 2023]
From 10 to 12 June 2025 I visited Oslo to attend a roundtable discussion on the North Sea Energy Transition, with civil society representatives, union representatives and politicians from the UK and Norway. The costs of the visit, which were met by Oil Change UK (a research, communications and advocacy organisation working to end reliance on fossil fuels of 2nd Floor Regis House, 45 King William Street, London, United Kingdom, EC4R 9AN), were £300 for travel and £700 for accommodation and expenses. [Registered 2 July 2025]
No registrable interests
No registrable interests
No registrable interests
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.
[Ceased interest removed from entry: 13 December 2023]
Member of ACORN tenants' union.
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 March 2026
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "The draft climate change plan was developed around the principle of decarbonising our society and economy to meet Scotland’s net zero goals…
Chamber meeting date: 4 March 2026
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "The “Who Owns Scotland 2025” report shows that only 2.8 per cent of rural land in Scotland is owned by community groups. The Scottish Government can do far more to make community ownership of land easier…
Chamber meeting date: 4 March 2026
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "The “Who Owns Scotland 2025” report shows that only 2.8 per cent of rural land in Scotland is owned by community groups. The Scottish Government can do far more to make community ownership of land easier…
Chamber meeting date: 4 March 2026
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "The “Who Owns Scotland 2025” report shows that only 2.8 per cent of rural land in Scotland is owned by community groups. The Scottish Government can do far more to make community ownership of land easier…
Chamber meeting date: 4 March 2026
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab): "The “Who Owns Scotland 2025” report shows that only 2.8 per cent of rural land in Scotland is owned by community groups. The Scottish Government can do far more to make community ownership of land easier…
Find out how Mercedes Villalba has voted recently.
Motion ref. S6M-20944
Submitted by: Richard Lochhead, Moray, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 2, 2026
Supported by: Kate Forbes
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 5, 2026
Result 114 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 15 did not vote
MSP voted for
Agreed
Motion ref. S6M-20957.2
Submitted by: Sue Webber, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Result 52 for, 66 against, 2 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted for
Disagreed
Motion ref. S6M-20957
Submitted by: Jamie Greene, West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Monday, March 2, 2026
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Result 85 for, 33 against, 1 abstained, 10 did not vote
MSP voted for
Agreed
Motion ref. S6M-20957.3
Submitted by: Fiona Hyslop, Linlithgow, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Supported by: Jim Fairlie
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Result 66 for, 53 against, 1 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted against
Agreed
Motion ref. S6M-20956
Submitted by: Willie Rennie, North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Monday, March 2, 2026
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Result 59 for, 61 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote
MSP voted for
Disagreed
Find out what motions Mercedes Villalba has submitted recently.
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 5 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential for deep geothermal energy generation in (a) Scotland and (b) north east Scotland specifically."
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 5 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what provision it has made for deep geothermal energy generation development in the (a) Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray, (b) Community and Renewable Energy Scheme and (c) Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan."
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 4 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gave to the security of employment of the workers at Wave Energy Scotland as part of its decision to not allocate the organisation funding in its draft Budget 2026-27."
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 4 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what role the constitution of Wave Energy Scotland as a subsidiary of Highlands and Islands Enterprise played in its decision-making when it allocated funding in its draft Budget 2026-27, and what its position is on whether this type of arrangement supports the security of employment of public sector workers."
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 4 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy has attended with workers at Wave Energy Scotland to discuss the organisation's future funding, and what its position is on whether the principle of effective worker voice has been upheld during its consideration of the organisation."
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 2 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish publicly owned infrastructure, such as Prestwick or Wick John O' Groats airports, has been used by the US Airforce for the recent strikes on Iran."
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that its employee recruitment and progression remains (a) based on merit and (b) unconstrained by proximity to work location."
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the potential impact of its hybrid working and location policies on the geographical distribution of its employees."
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government, in determining its hybrid working policy for Scottish Government employees, what specific consideration has been given to (a) rural and island employment, (b) rural and island population retention, (c) rural and island sustainable development, (d) the Public Sector equality duty, (e) the Fairer Scotland Duty, (f) the…
Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 March 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that its employees who live in rural and island communities have equitable access to (a) promotion, (b) redeployment and (c) career development opportunities."
See all of Mercedes Villalba's questions submitted in Parliament