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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Ben Macpherson

Scottish National Party

MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith (Constituency) 2016 - present day

About Ben Macpherson

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @BenMacpherson

Facebook: Ben's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 600 0134
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

34 Constitution Street
Leith
Edinburgh
EH6 6RS

Phone: 0131 600 0134
Text relay calls welcome.

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

Committees

Cross-party groups

Ben is a member of 8 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Brain Tumours

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Europe

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on France

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Housing

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Malawi

Co-Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Medicinal Cannabis

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Poverty

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Ukraine

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Ben has 1 parliamentary and government role

Conveners Group

Member

Party Roles

Ben does not have any party roles

Previous roles

Ben has had 17 previous roles

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

05 December 2024 - 12 December 2024

SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee

Member

05 September 2023 - 11 September 2024

Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee

Deputy Convener

05 September 2023 - 17 June 2024

Education Children and Young People Committee

Member

29 June 2023 - 05 September 2023

Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee

Member

26 April 2023 - 05 September 2023

Education Children and Young People Committee

Deputy Convener

18 April 2023 - 29 June 2023

Constitution Europe External Affairs and Culture Committee

Member

18 April 2023 - 29 June 2023

Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Substitute Member

18 April 2023 - 26 April 2023

Education Children and Young People Committee

Member

19 May 2021 - 29 March 2023

Minister for Social Security and Local Government

Scottish Government

21 December 2020 - 19 May 2021

Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment

Scottish Government

17 February 2020 - 21 December 2020

Minister for Public Finance and Migration

Scottish Government

28 June 2018 - 17 February 2020

Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development

Scottish Government

14 June 2016 - 28 June 2018

Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the Office of the First Minister

Scottish Government

14 June 2016 - 28 June 2018

Parliamentary Liaison Officer to the First Minister

Scottish Government

06 October 2016 - 28 June 2018

Justice SubCommittee on Policing

Member

08 June 2016 - 28 June 2018

Social Security Committee

Member

08 June 2016 - 28 June 2018

Justice Committee

Member

Register of interests

Ben'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

What was said

What Ben Macpherson 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.

Chamber meeting date: 25 March 2025

Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report

Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP): "I welcome the minister’s statement. As he knows, many of the buildings in Scotland that are affected are in my constituency. I appreciate both the challenge and the complexity of the work and I welcome the progress…

Chamber meeting date: 25 March 2025

Decision Time

Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Unfortunately, I was unable to connect. I would have voted yes."

Chamber meeting date: 18 March 2025

Food and Drink Sector

Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP): "I, too, pay tribute to my colleague Mairi Gougeon. I am sorry to hear that she will not be seeking to come back to Parliament…

Chamber meeting date: 13 March 2025

Decision Time

Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I was unable to vote through the application. I would have voted no."

Chamber meeting date: 13 March 2025

Scottish Hospitals Inquiry (Interim Report)

Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP): "The cabinet secretary talked about the significant remedial works that were required and the fact that the inquiry’s remit required it to make recommendations to ensure that any past mistakes are not repeated in future NHS infrastructure projects…

Votes

How Ben Macpherson has voted in Parliament

Find out how Ben Macpherson has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-16923

Scotland – A Fair Trade Nation

Submitted by: Angus Robertson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 24, 2025

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Result 108 for, 7 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16923.1

Scotland – A Fair Trade Nation

Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 24, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Result 107 for, 8 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16844.2

Children’s Rights and Temporary Accommodation

Submitted by: Meghan Gallacher, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Result 53 for, 63 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-16845

Reforming Scotland’s West Coast Ferries

Submitted by: Claire Baker, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, March 17, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Result 58 for, 52 against, 6 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16845.1

Reforming Scotland’s West Coast Ferries

Submitted by: Sue Webber, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Result 52 for, 56 against, 7 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motions

Questions

Questions Ben Macpherson has asked

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

Question ref. S6W-34325

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 31 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing a statutory duty of care for higher education institutions."

Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 February 2025

Question ref. S6O-04383

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 26 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Edinburgh’s economy."

Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-34502

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 5 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-32043 by Jenni Minto on 17 December 2024, whether consideration is being given to creating a clinical and third sector stakeholder group to help inform the implementation of the NICE guideline on myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), to be delivered by…

Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 February 2025

Question ref. S6O-04288

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 29 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding establishing a standalone postgraduate business school to help create more companies, attract talent and boost innovation."

Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2025

Question ref. S6W-33312

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 15 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is addressing youth violence, in light of its Youth Violence Summit on 13 January 2025."

Answered by Siobhian Brown on 23 January 2025

Question ref. S6O-04274

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 22 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it is engaging with local authorities to enable supply teachers to work in and across a number of different local authority areas."

Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025

Question ref. S6O-04237

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 15 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting and investing in youth work."

Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

Question ref. S6O-04208

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 8 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the planned opening of the safer drug consumption facility in Glasgow, whether consideration has been given to opening a similar facility in Edinburgh."

Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025

Question ref. S6T-02270

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 6 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it is responding to reported increases in instances of youth crime and antisocial behaviour."

Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32043

Asked by: Macpherson, Ben, Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 6 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement in its draft Budget 2025-26 of an additional £4…

Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 December 2024

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