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: 8 May 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "He has done it again!"
Chamber meeting date: 8 May 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "I am very pleased to be able to contribute to the debate…
Chamber meeting date: 8 May 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "He has done it again!"
Chamber meeting date: 8 May 2025
8. Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on its own reported assessment that its target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 is at risk. (S6O-04639)"
Chamber meeting date: 8 May 2025
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "Today, on the 80th anniversary of VE day, we paused to reflect on all those from our communities who gave their lives in the course of the second world war, for the freedom and liberation of Europe and for the peace and security of us all…
Find out how Paul O'Kane has voted recently.
Submitted by: Jamie Greene, West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Result 30 for, 84 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Friday, May 2, 2025
Supported by: Tom Arthur, Richard Lochhead, Paul McLennan, Shirley-Anne Somerville, Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Result 59 for, 55 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Passed
Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Result 28 for, 88 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Submitted by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Result 48 for, 68 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Submitted by: Lorna Slater, Lothian, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Result 7 for, 108 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
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: 9 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice to the Social Justice and Social Security Committee on 5 December 2024, on what date and at what time the official ministerial decision to mitigate the two-child limit was recorded in its electronic Records and Document Management system, and who…
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to increase the uptake of Funeral Support Payment since its introduction in 2019."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is in place for education practitioners regarding how to support children and young people who have been bereaved of a parent."
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 8 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government when it last met officials from the Department for Work and Pensions regarding work to progress the delivery of automatic split payments of universal credit, as set out in part 6, section 94 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 8 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the steps that it has taken to share the necessary information with the Department for Work and Pensions to support the progress of the Scottish Government’s 2017 policy commitment to introduce automatic split payments of universal credit in Scotland."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 8 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that automatic split payments of universal credit in Scotland, as it committed to in 2017, will be delivered by the end of the current parliamentary session, and, if so, by what date."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2025
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 30 April 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on its own reported assessment that its target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 is at risk."
Taken in the Chamber on 8 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 Parental Employability Support Fund, and, if so, what that cost was."
Answer expected 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."
Answer expected on 13 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."
Answer expected on 13 May 2025