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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Jeremy Balfour

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

MSP for Lothian (Region) 2016 - present day

About Jeremy Balfour

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @jeremyrbalfour

Facebook: Jeremy's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 5961
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Jeremy is a member of 2 committees

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Member

Cross-party groups

Jeremy is a member of 17 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Autism

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Children and Young People

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Disability

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Epilepsy

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Freedom of Religion or Belief

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Funerals and Bereavement

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Human Trafficking

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Industrial Communities

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Maritime and Shipbuilding

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Older People, Age and Ageing

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Shared Parenting

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Social Work

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Sport

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Taiwan

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Visual Impairment

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Volunteering

Co-Convener

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Jeremy has 1 parliamentary and government role

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Branch Executive

Member

Party Roles

Jeremy has 1 party role

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Social Justice

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Previous roles

Jeremy has had 19 previous roles

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

21 May 2021 - 08 October 2024

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Social Security

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

28 June 2023 - 08 October 2024

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Housing

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

28 June 2023 - 08 October 2024

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Equalities

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

25 May 2022 - 21 March 2024

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Member

21 May 2021 - 28 June 2023

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Local Government

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

08 September 2021 - 25 May 2022

Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Substitute Member

11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Equalities

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Older People

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

20 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Local Government and Communities Committee

Substitute Member

29 June 2017 - 04 May 2021

Social Security Committee

Member

25 February 2020 - 20 August 2020

Local Government and Communities Committee

Member

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Housing

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Communities

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Welfare

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

10 September 2019 - 25 February 2020

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Member

28 June 2017 - 18 February 2020

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Welfare

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

29 September 2016 - 29 June 2017

Equalities and Human Rights Committee

Member

26 May 2016 - 28 June 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Children

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

08 June 2016 - 29 September 2016

Equal Opportunities Committee

Member

Register of interests

Jeremy'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 Jeremy Balfour 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: 3 April 2025

Social Security (Impact of Spring Statement)

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "I understand that a review of the adult disability payment in Scotland is on-going and that it will issue its report this autumn…

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee meeting date: 1 April 2025

Minister for Parliamentary Business

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "Good morning. The standing item on the agenda when you and your colleagues come to visit us is the historical commitments that the Government has made to the committee in relation to instruments…

Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 27 March 2025

Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "Good morning. As we go through the amendments in this group and those in other groups, I suspect that we will see some of the weaknesses that exist in the bill…

Chamber meeting date: 26 March 2025

Edinburgh Third Sector Grant Programme

7. Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the allocation of additional funding for health and social care, in light of the Edinburgh integration joint board’s reported plans to end funding for its third sector grant programme. (S6O-04494)"

Chamber meeting date: 26 March 2025

Secure Accommodation Capacity

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con): "I appreciate that the minister had a tough appearance at the Education, Children and Young People Committee this morning, where she was repeatedly unable to provide a timescale for the introduction to Parliament of the Promise bill…

Votes

How Jeremy Balfour has voted in Parliament

Find out how Jeremy Balfour has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-17059.1

Business Programme

Submitted by: Miles Briggs, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Result 31 for, 60 against, 26 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17059

Business Programme

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Result 88 for, 28 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16789

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Submitted by: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 27, 2025

Result 64 for, 1 against, 53 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16960

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution

Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Result 90 for, 30 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16942

Approval of SSI

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Result 70 for, 0 against, 50 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP abstained

Vote Passed

Motions

Questions

Questions Jeremy Balfour has asked

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

Question ref. S6W-35938

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns raised by Young Lives vs Cancer regarding the three-month qualifying period for disability benefits for children and young people diagnosed with cancer, what consideration it has given to removing this, in light of any immediate additional costs that they might face following diagnosis."

Holding Answer by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-36324

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 1 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether Caledonian Sleeper has shared with it the timeframe for replacing the fold-out tables in individual berths to enable customers to consume hot drinks without the current reported risk to their health or safety."

Answer expected on 29 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-36323

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 1 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to require Caledonian Sleeper to adapt its carriages so that all of them are capable of having a portable ramp fitted for the safe emergency egress of customers with mobility impairments, and, if it plans to make this a requirement, by when."

Answer expected on 29 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-35937

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns raised by Young Lives vs Cancer that, currently, there is an average six-month waiting time between a child or young person's cancer diagnosis and their receiving their first disability benefit payment, what action it can take to reduce this."

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35941

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review and aim to simplify the disability benefit application process for children and young people diagnosed with cancer, including reducing any delays caused where medical evidence is required to determine eligibility."

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35940

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns raised by Young Lives vs Cancer that almost half of patients in Scotland finish their cancer treatment before receiving a decision regarding disability benefit claims due to lengthy waits, what assessment it has made of the adequacy of Social Security Scotland’s disability benefits…

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35939

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of any delays in receiving disability benefits on children and young people with cancer, and their families, particularly in respect of (a) financial pressures and (b) emotional wellbeing."

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35942

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 20 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that children and young people with cancer, and their carers and families, receive clear, timely and accessible communication from Social Security Scotland regarding their disability benefit applications."

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 March 2025

Question ref. S6O-04494

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 19 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the allocation of additional funding for health and social care, in light of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board's reported plans to end funding for its third sector grant programme."

Taken in the Chamber on 26 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35449

Asked by: Balfour, Jeremy, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to provide vehicles and equipment under the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme, from organisations other than Motability, it has (a) approved and (b) rejected in each of the last five years, and what steps it is taking to broaden the range and scope of such providers, in particular those…

Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 March 2025

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