Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
MSP for Dunfermline (Constituency) 2016 - present day
Former MSP for Lothians (Region) 2007 - 2011
About Shirley-Anne Somerville
Contact details
Contact online
Email: [email protected]
Committees
Shirley-Anne is not a member of any committees
Cross-party groups
Shirley-Anne is not a member of any cross-party groups
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Shirley-Anne has 1 parliamentary and government role
Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People
Scottish Government
Find out more about the Cabinet and Ministers at the Scottish Government website.
Party Roles
Shirley-Anne does not have any party roles
Previous roles
Shirley-Anne has had 7 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
19 May 2016 - 28 June 2018
Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science
Scottish Government
06 September 2007 - 22 March 2011
Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee
Member
13 April 2010 - 27 July 2010
William Simpsons Home Transfer of Property etc Scotland Bill Committee
Convener
26 February 2009 - 03 June 2010
Equal Opportunities Committee
Substitute Member
18 March 2010 - 13 April 2010
William Simpsons Home Transfer of Property etc Scotland Bill Committee
Member
26 November 2009 - 09 April 2010
Ure Elder Fund Transfer and Dissolution Bill Committee
Member
06 September 2007 - 26 June 2008
Education Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee
Substitute Member
Register of interests
Shirley-Anne'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 Shirley-Anne Somerville. The date of their initial statement was 31 May 2016.
Remuneration and related undertaking
No registrable interests
Gifts
No registrable interests
Overseas visits
No registrable interests
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
I am a member of the SSPCA.
I am a member of the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
I am a member of the RSPB.
Until March 2016 I was a volunteer Trustee for Shelter.
I am a member of the National Trust for Scotland.
Recent Activity
What was said
What Shirley-Anne Somerville 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.
Equalities and Human Rights Committee meeting date: 18 March 2021
Human Rights
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People (Shirley-Anne Somerville): "Good morning, convener. It is a real pleasure to give evidence to the Equalities and Human Rights Committee today…
Chamber meeting date: 4 March 2021
International Women’s Day 2021
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People (Shirley-Anne Somerville): "In a year when we have had precious little to celebrate, I am delighted to have the opportunity to recognise the amazing achievements of women across Scotland…
Social Security Committee meeting date: 4 March 2021
Social Security (Up-rating) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 [Draft]
Shirley-Anne Somerville: "This provides an opportunity to assist the committee with its consideration of the draft order and draft regulations, which are required to uprate devolved social security benefits in April 2021…
Social Security Committee meeting date: 4 March 2021
Social Security Information-sharing (Scotland) Regulations 2021 [Draft]
Shirley-Anne Somerville: "I am delighted to be here to talk about the Social Security Information-sharing (Scotland) Regulations 2021…
Social Security Committee meeting date: 4 March 2021
Disability Assistance for Children and Young People (Scotland) Regulations 2021 [Draft]
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People (Shirley-Anne Somerville): "I am delighted to be here to talk about the regulations for child disability payment. CDP will be the first regularly recurring disability benefit to be delivered by Social Security Scotland…
See all of Shirley-Anne Somerville's contributions in the chamber
See all of Shirley-Anne Somerville's contributions in committees
Votes
How Shirley-Anne Somerville has voted in Parliament
Find out how Shirley-Anne Somerville has voted recently.
Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Emma Harper, South Scotland, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Result 120 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 9 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Motion of No Confidence
Submitted by: Ruth Davidson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Thursday, March 4, 2021
Supported by: Jeremy Balfour, Bill Bowman, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Donald Cameron, Jackson Carlaw, Peter Chapman, Maurice Corry, Murdo Fraser, Maurice Golden, Jamie Greene, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Rachael Hamilton, Alison Harris, Liam Kerr, Gordon Lindhurst, Dean Lockhart, Tom Mason, Margaret Mitchell, Edward Mountain, Oliver Mundell, John Scott, Graham Simpson, Liz Smith, Alexander Stewart, Adam Tomkins, Annie Wells, Brian Whittle
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 31 for, 65 against, 27 abstained, 6 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Neil Bibby, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 111 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 18 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Andy Wightman, Lothian, Independent. Date lodged: Thursday, February 25, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Result 114 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 15 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
National Mission to Reduce Drug Deaths and Harms
Submitted by: Brian Whittle, South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Supported by: Donald Cameron
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 18, 2021
Result 43 for, 69 against, 1 abstained, 16 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Motions
Motions made by Shirley-Anne Somerville in Parliament
Find out what motions Shirley-Anne Somerville has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Shirley-Anne Somerville 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: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 17 March 2011
"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it continues to support the introduction of minimum pricing as a means of tackling problems with alcohol."
Answered by: Nicola Sturgeon on 17 March 2011
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 24 February 2011
"To ask the Scottish Executive how much it and its agencies invested in the renewables and community renewables industry between (a) 2003 and 2007 and (b) 2007 and 2011."
Answered by: Jim Mather on 9 March 2011
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 22 February 2011
"To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it estimates will be created under its plans for a low-carbon economy by 2014-15."
Answered by: John Swinney on 24 February 2011
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 16 November 2010
"To ask the Scottish Executive when it will fulfil the requirement of section 35 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to set out a report on proposals and policies for meeting annual emissions targets for 2010 to 2022."
Answered by: Stewart Stevenson on 17 November 2010
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 30 April 2010
"To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of Edinburgh Napier University’s decision to discontinue its Communication, Advertising and PR undergraduate degree (a) how many applicants will be affected by this decision and (b) what recourse applicants who are negatively affected will have to ensure they can begin their chosen area of study."
Answered by: Michael Russell on 13 May 2010
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010
"To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs in the renewables and low-carbon sector are expected to be created in the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 20 years."
Answered by: Jim Mather on 6 May 2010
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010
"To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the potential impact of jobs in the renewables and low-carbon sector on tackling long-term unemployment."
Answered by: Jim Mather on 6 May 2010
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010
"To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures it has in place, or plans to put in place, to assist small businesses to take advantage of future opportunities in the renewables and low-carbon sector."
Answered by: Jim Mather on 6 May 2010
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010
"To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has regarding the geographical spread of potential future jobs in the renewables and low-carbon sector."
Answered by: Jim Mather on 6 May 2010
Asked by: Somerville, Shirley-Anne, Lothians, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 21 April 2010
"To ask the Scottish Executive what specific measures it has in place, or plans to put in place, to prepare and train unskilled, low skilled and other hard-to-employ groups for employment in the renewables and low-carbon sector."
Answered by: Jim Mather on 6 May 2010
See all of Shirley-Anne Somerville's written questions submitted in Parliament