Scottish Labour
MSP for West Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day
Email: Paul.O'[email protected]
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5942
Text relay calls welcome.
Phone: 0141 887 5111
Text relay calls welcome.
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Scottish Labour
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Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
22 June 2021 - 25 April 2023
Deputy Convener
22 September 2021 - 25 April 2023
Substitute Member
31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023
Scottish Labour
31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023
Scottish Labour
17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021
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 Paul O'Kane. The date of their initial statement was 07 June 2021.
Until 4 May 2022, I was a councillor for East Renfrewshire Council (of Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, G46 6UH) and additionally, until 10 June 2021, I was Depute Leader of the Council and Convener for Education and Equalities. I worked approximately 21 hours per week and, until 10 June 2021, received remuneration of between £20,001 and £25,000 per annum. I had resigned as Depute Leader of the Council and Convener for Education and Equalities with effect from 10 June 2021 but remained as a councillor. From 10 June 2021 to 4 May 2022, I received remuneration of between £15,001 to £20,000 per annum. My councillor salary was donated to local community groups in my Ward. [Amended interest 5 October 2022]
Until 10 May 2021, I was a Policy and Participation Manager at ENABLE Scotland (a Learning Disability Charity and Social Care Provider of Inspire House, 3 Renshaw Place, Eurocentral, North Lanarkshire, ML14UF). I worked 21 hours per week and the remuneration I received was between £30,001 and £35,000 (pro-rata) per annum.
Until 10 June 2021, I will be Chair of the Transport and Mechanical Advisory Group Association of Public Sector Excellence (APSE) (a not for profit unincorporated association of 300 Councils across the UK promoting excellence in public services of Scottish Office, Brandon House, 23-25 Brandon Street, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, ML3 6DA). I work 4 hours per month and receive remuneration of between £1,001 and £2,000 per annum. I resigned from this role with effect from 10 June 2021.
On 18th September 2022, I received two Group D Finals tickets for my husband and I for the Davis Cup in Glasgow from the Lawn Tennis Association (National Tennis Centre, 100 Priory Lane, Roehampton, London, SW15 5JQ). The value of these tickets was £492. [Registered 3 October 2022]
From 23 to 26 March 2025, I participated in a delegation to Bosnia-Herzegovina to learn about the war of the early 1990s and the genocide at Srebrenica. Travel expenses, accommodation in Sarajevo, city taxes, museum entries and meals to the total value of £780.00 were provided by Beyond Srebrenica, (a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC046540) which coordinates Srebrenica awareness activities in Scotland of c/o Turcan Connell Solicitors, Princes Exchange, Earl Grey Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9EE). [Registered 8 April 2025]
No registrable interests
No registrable interests
No registrable interests
I am a member of Community Union.
I received two complimentary tickets from the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland of Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, EH28 8NB for my husband and I to attend the Royal Highland Show on Sunday 23 June 2024, the estimated value of the tickets was £68.00. [Registered 16 September 2024]
I was paid £100 by You Gov on 25 September 2024 for completing a survey. [Registered 25 September 2024]
I received two complimentary tickets from the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland of Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, EH28 8NB for my husband and I to attend the Royal Highland Show on Sunday 25 June 2023, the estimated value of the tickets was £68.00. [Registered 16 September 2024]
I was paid £100 by You Gov on 10 July 2024 for completing a survey. [Registered 16 September 2024]
I am a member of the Scottish Co-operative Party.
I am the Chair of Trustees of Neilston War Memorial Association.
I am a member of LGBT Labour Scotland.
I was paid £30 by You Gov on 25 April 2024 for completing a survey. [Registered 16 September 2024]
I am a member of GMB Union.
I am a patron of LGBT Labour.
I was paid £70 by You Gov on 25 July 2024 for completing a survey. [Registered 16 September 2024]
I was paid £75 by Savanta on 26 June 2024 for completing a survey. [Registered 16 September 2024]
I am a member of ENABLE Scotland.
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: 4 June 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "On Saturday we received the sad news of the passing of Councillor Betty Cunningham, a former provost of East Renfrewshire, who was known to many members on all sides of the chamber and who was described as a “force of nature”…
Chamber meeting date: 29 May 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "I add my thanks to Michelle Thomson for lodging the motion and opening the debate; I recognise the way that we have engaged across parties in the chamber to ensure that the debate could take place today…
Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 29 May 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "Good morning. Cabinet secretary, when your party came to power, relative child poverty was at 23 per cent after housing costs were taken into account…
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee meeting date: 27 May 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "Over a number of weeks, including in this morning’s session, we have been discussing the mixed model of payment and delivery, which the Government’s discussion paper calls for…
Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 22 May 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "Good morning. The committee is particularly interested in the matter of access to legal aid, and work is being done on that across the Parliament, certainly in committees such as the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee…
Find out how Paul O'Kane has voted recently.
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 not voted
Vote Passed
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 not voted
Vote Defeated
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 not voted
Vote Defeated
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
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
Find out what motions Paul O'Kane has submitted recently.
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 14 May 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether local authorities have the power to prescribe or restrict the type of vehicular traffic that can use a particular road."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 14 May 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it or its relevant agencies have the power to prescribe or restrict the type of vehicular traffic that can use a particular road."
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any analysis of the appropriate level of payment for Funeral Support Payment since its introduction in 2019."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 17 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for eligible NHS patients to receive the shingles vaccine."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed, or plans to review, the eligibility criteria for Funeral Support Payment."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 17 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards operate their own shingles vaccination programme, and how it is ensuring equitable access to the vaccine across all NHS boards."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 17 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent research suggesting that the shingles vaccine might reduce the risk of dementia by up to 20%, whether it plans to (a) expand or (b) accelerate the rollout of the vaccine."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals were supported into employment through its Young Person's Guarantee in each of the last three years, and what this figure was as a proportion of all individuals supported through the programme in each of those years."
Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for (a) bereaved individuals under the age of 50 whose partner has died and (b) children of individuals where a parent has died under the age of 50."
Answered by Maree Todd on 13 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any analysis on the cost per person to successfully transition an individual into employment through its Young Person's Guarantee, and, if so, what that cost was."
Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 May 2025