Paul O'Kane
Scottish Labour
MSP for West Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day
About Paul O'Kane
Contact details
Contact online
Post-d: Paul.O'Kane.msp@parliament.scot
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5942
Text relay calls welcome.
Contact at local office
Phone: 0141 887 5111
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Paul is a member of 2 committees
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Member
Cross-party groups
Paul is a member of 17 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Building Bridges with Israel
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Care Leavers
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Carers
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Changing Places Toilets
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Co-Operatives
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Deafness
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Diabetes
Co-Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Dyslexia
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on India
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Learning Disability
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on LGBTI+
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Long Covid
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Poverty
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Science and Technology
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Social Work
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Ukraine
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Volunteering
Member
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Paul does not have any parliamentary or government roles
Party Roles
Paul has 3 party roles
Party Spokesperson on Equalities
Scottish Labour
Party Spokesperson on Social Justice
Scottish Labour
Party Spokesperson on Social Security
Scottish Labour
Previous roles
Paul has had 5 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
22 September 2021 - 25 April 2023
Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
Substitute Member
22 June 2021 - 25 April 2023
Health Social Care and Sport Committee
Deputy Convener
31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Public Health
Scottish Labour
31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Social Care
Scottish Labour
17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021
Health Social Care and Sport Committee
Member
Register of interests
Paul'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 Paul O'Kane 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.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 27 June 2024
Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "Good morning…
Chamber meeting date: 25 June 2024
Linwood Industrial Estate Fire
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "I join colleagues in offering thanks to all the emergency services that attended the fire. As we have heard, the plume of smoke could be seen from some miles away, and it drifted several miles northwards…
Chamber meeting date: 20 June 2024
Antisocial Behaviour (Town Centres)
2. Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its on-going work with local authorities, Police Scotland and other partners to tackle the reported increasing antisocial behaviour in town centres. (S6O-03614)"
Chamber meeting date: 20 June 2024
Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "The scale of the challenge that we face in Scotland is serious…
Chamber meeting date: 20 June 2024
Gender Representation on Public Boards (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "I am pleased to open the debate on behalf of Scottish Labour. I do not intend to speak for too long, but I want to offer some remarks…
Votes
How Paul O'Kane has voted in Parliament
Find out how Paul O'Kane has voted recently.
Scottish Government Priorities: Tackling the Climate Emergency
Submitted by: Douglas Lumsden, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Result 50 for, 68 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 24, 2024
Supported by: Màiri McAllan
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Result 116 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote
MSP not voted
Vote Passed
Scottish Government Priorities: Tackling the Climate Emergency
Submitted by: Patrick Harvie, Glasgow, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Supported by: Mark Ruskell
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Result 8 for, 108 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Scottish Government Priorities: Tackling the Climate Emergency
Submitted by: Sarah Boyack, Lothian, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Result 58 for, 59 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Approval of SSI
Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Result 68 for, 0 against, 46 abstained, 15 did not vote
MSP not voted
Vote Passed
Motions
Motions made by Paul O'Kane in Parliament
Find out what motions Paul O'Kane has submitted recently.
Questions
Questions Paul O'Kane has asked
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: 12 June 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its ongoing work with local authorities, Police Scotland and other partners to tackle the reported increasing antisocial behaviour in town centres."
Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with the Department for Work and Pensions under the agency agreement for the delivery of Carer's Allowance in Scotland to identify the (a) number of carers affected by overpayment debt and (b) levels of debt accumulated."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the development of the strategic framework for Scotland’s childcare profession, which was committed to in the document, Best Start: Strategic early learning and school age childcare plan for Scotland 2022-26."
Answered by Natalie Don on 10 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government how many women workers in the early learning and childcare workforce it estimates will be captured by its commitment to pay at least £12 per hour to workers delivering the funded entitlement."
Answered by Natalie Don on 10 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what the updated timescale is for delivery of the strategic framework for Scotland’s childcare profession, in light of the document, Best Start: Strategic early learning and school age childcare plan for Scotland 2022-26, stating that it would be published in late 2022."
Answered by Natalie Don on 10 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government how the reported underlying causes of the recruitment and retention challenges within the childcare sector, such as gendered occupational segregation, low pay and poor working conditions, are being considered in the development of the strategic framework for Scotland’s childcare profession."
Answered by Natalie Don on 10 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 23 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its proposals for a human rights incorporation bill, when it plans to (a) publish an initial draft of the legislation and (b) introduce any bill to the Parliament, and whether it will provide an update on whether it anticipates that a bill on this issue will be passed during the current parliamentary…
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what work it will undertake with (a) the Department for Work and Pensions and (b) Social Security Scotland during the roll-out of, and process of case transfer to, Carer Support Payment, to increase the level of help and advice available to unpaid carers in Scotland who may have been left in debt due to overpayments…
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reform the threshold element of the Carer Support Payment following the completion of the transfer from Carer's Allowance in Scotland."
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 June 2024
Asked by: O'Kane, Paul, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 29 May 2024
"To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the introduction and operation of Carer Support Payment, whether it has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to prevent the accumulation of debt among carers in receipt of Carer's Allowance in Scotland due to (a) delayed investigation and (b) non-investigation of overpayment…
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 June 2024