Skip to main content

Election 2026

The Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 7 May 2026. 

For information on results and what happens next, please visit Election 2026

Loading…
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
Image description

John Swinney

Scottish National Party

MSP for Perthshire North (Constituency)


John Swinney is the First Minister

About John Swinney

Contact details

Contact online

Website: johnswinney.scot

X (previously known as Twitter): @johnswinney

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

Phone: 01250 876576
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

17-19 Leslie Street
Blairgowrie
PH10 6AH

Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.

Career as MSP

Career as MSP

Scottish National Party
MSP for Perthshire North (Constituency)
05 May 2011 to present

Scottish National Party
Former MSP for North Tayside (Constituency)
06 May 1999 to 22 Mar 2011

Committees

John Swinney is not a member of any committees

Cross-party groups

John Swinney is not a member of any cross-party groups

Parliamentary and Government Roles

John Swinney has 1 parliamentary and government role

First Minister

Scottish Government

Party Roles

John Swinney does not have any party roles

Previous roles

John Swinney has had the following roles in Parliament

Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.

06 May 2024 to 08 April 2026

Party Leader

Scottish National Party

29 June 2023 to 07 May 2024

Criminal Justice Committee

Member

19 May 2021 to 28 March 2023

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery

Scottish Government

18 May 2016 to 18 May 2021

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

Scottish Government

21 November 2014 to 18 May 2016

Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy

Scottish Government

21 November 2014 to 18 May 2016

Deputy First Minister

Scottish Government

25 May 2011 to 21 November 2014

Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth

Scottish Government

17 May 2007 to 25 May 2011

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth

Scottish Government

05 September 2005 to 02 April 2007

Party Spokesperson on Finance

Scottish National Party

05 September 2005 to 02 April 2007

Party Spokesperson on Public Services

Scottish National Party

30 October 2004 to 02 April 2007

Audit Committee

Substitute Member

20 September 2005 to 02 April 2007

Finance Committee

Deputy Convener

15 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

Finance Committee

Member

28 September 2004 to 14 September 2005

European and External Relations Committee

Convener

28 September 2004 to 14 September 2005

Conveners Group

Member

15 September 2004 to 28 September 2004

European and External Relations Committee

Member

01 May 2003 to 03 September 2004

Party Leader

Scottish National Party

26 September 2000 to 31 March 2003

Party Leader

Scottish National Party

17 June 1999 to 01 November 2000

Finance Committee

Member

06 May 1999 to 26 September 2000

Deputy Party Leader

Scottish National Party

25 May 1999 to 26 September 2000

Party Spokesperson on Enterprise

Scottish National Party

25 May 1999 to 26 September 2000

Party Spokesperson on Lifelong Learning

Scottish National Party

17 June 1999 to 26 September 2000

Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee

Convener

24 August 1999 to 26 September 2000

Conveners Liaison Group

Member

Register of interests

John Swinney'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.

Recent Activity

Official Report

What John Swinney 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.

Conversion Practices (Ban)

Chamber meeting date: 25 March 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "Conversion practices cause lasting harm and have no place in Scotland. The Scottish National Party Government is clear that we will end this abhorrent practice and ensure that everyone can live free from abuse…

Scottish Government (Record)

Chamber meeting date: 25 March 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "I defend the interests of the people of Scotland every day of my being…

Scottish Government (Record)

Chamber meeting date: 25 March 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "In the course of the Government’s term of office, we have taken steps to improve the lives of people in Scotland, whether that is in delivering a stronger economy, which has been delivered against the tides of austerity and the inflation surge in 2022, or in the health service, where waiting times have come down for eight months in a row as a…

Free Bus Travel

Chamber meeting date: 25 March 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "All those steps are very welcome, but the Government has also put in place a £2 bus fare cap, which is being taken forward in the Highlands and Islands to determine how it can operate…

Children (Assaults in Hospitals)

Chamber meeting date: 25 March 2026

The First Minister (John Swinney): "I am horrified by any suggestion that children have been assaulted while in hospital. I expect health boards to work closely with Police Scotland to keep patients, particularly children, safe…

Votes

How John Swinney has voted in Parliament

Find out how John Swinney has voted recently.

Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill

Motion ref. S6M-21104

Submitted by: Jim Fairlie, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 16, 2026

Supported by: Mairi Gougeon
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Result 119 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-21103

Submitted by: Ivan McKee, Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 16, 2026

Supported by: Shona Robison
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Result 119 for, 0 against, 1 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Railways Bill - UK Legislation

Motion ref. S6M-21168

Submitted by: Fiona Hyslop, Linlithgow, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Friday, March 20, 2026

Supported by: Jim Fairlie
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Result 91 for, 1 against, 28 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-21120

Submitted by: Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, March 16, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Result 121 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 8 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 71 Amendment 28

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 19, 2026

Result 82 for, 24 against, 0 abstained, 23 did not vote

MSP not voted

Agreed

Motions

Motions made by John Swinney in Parliament

Find out what motions John Swinney has submitted recently.

Priorities for Scotland

Motion ref. S6M-18671

Motion of Condolence

Motion ref. S6M-18531

Motion of Condolence

Motion ref. S6M-17250

Questions

Questions John Swinney has asked

These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.

Question reference: S6W-26902

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 18 April 2024

Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of staff currently employed by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner were previously employed by (a) Police Scotland, (b) any other police service and (c) the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service."

Question reference: S6W-26900

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 18 April 2024

Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of staff currently employed by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner were previously serving police officers."

Question reference: S6W-26901

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 18 April 2024

Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are currently employed by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner, and in what roles."

Question reference: S6W-26392

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions the treatment Olaparib has been prescribed in each NHS board area since it was approved for use by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) in 2021."

Question reference: S6W-26304

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 20 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the implementation of the Scottish Wild Salmon Strategy."

Question reference: S6W-26307

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 20 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any implications of recent flooding events for wild salmon populations."

Question reference: S6W-26306

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 20 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to measures to increase the wild salmon population through stocking initiatives."

Question reference: S6W-26390

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government when the review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer will be completed."

Question reference: S6W-26391

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government whether consideration is being given, as part of the review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, to risk factors such as family history and ethnicity in improving the early detection of prostate cancer."

Question reference: S6W-26389

Asked by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 March 2024

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 2 April 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government whether the necessary genetic tests are available in all NHS board areas to enable the prescribing of Olaparib to treat prostate cancer."