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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Richard Leonard

Scottish Labour

MSP for Central Scotland (Region) 2016 - present day

About Richard Leonard

Contact details

Contact online

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 6465
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Cross-party groups

Richard is a member of 4 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Industrial Communities

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nuclear Disarmament

Member

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

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on WASPI

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Richard has 2 parliamentary and government roles

Conveners Group

Member

Scottish Commission For Public Audit

Member

Party Roles

Richard does not have any party roles

Previous roles

Richard has had 7 previous roles

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

17 June 2021 - 23 June 2021

Public Audit Committee

Member

04 October 2018 - 01 March 2021

Party Spokesperson on Economy

Scottish Labour

02 September 2019 - 01 March 2021

Party Spokesperson on Jobs and Fair Work

Scottish Labour

18 November 2017 - 14 January 2021

Party Leader

Scottish Labour

28 June 2016 - 09 January 2018

Social Security Committee

Substitute Member

25 May 2016 - 19 December 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on the Economy

Scottish Labour

08 June 2016 - 23 November 2017

Economy Jobs and Fair Work Committee

Member

Register of interests

Richard'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 Richard Leonard. The date of their initial statement was 08 June 2021.

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 Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

I am a friend of the Grassic Gibbon Centre. [Registered 4 October 2024]

On Sunday 5 May 2024 I attended the Professional Footballers Association Scotland (PFAS) annual awards ceremony as a guest of the PFAS. The value of the hospitality was £60. [Registered 10 May 2024]

On 15 February 2024 I accepted two tickets by invitation from Scottish Opera for a performance of Marx In London! at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. The value of the tickets and associated hospitality was £203. [Registered 23 February 2024]

I am a member of the Co-operative Party.

On 14th of May 2023 I attended the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Scotland Annual Dinner as a guest of the PFA. The value of the dinner was £50. [Registered 27 July 2023]

I am a member of the Scottish Labour History Society.

I am a member of Unite the Union.

I am Convenor of the PFA Scotland Parliamentary Interest Group. [Registered 11 November 2021]

On Sunday 1 May 2022 I attended the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) annual awards ceremony as a guest of the PFA. The value of the hospitality was £50. [Registered 16 July 2022]

On Saturday 26 November 2022 I attended and spoke at a conference on Community Wealth Building in Preston. This event was sponsored by the Communication Workers Union (a trade union) which provided bed and breakfast accommodation in the Holiday Inn Preston on Friday 25 November 2022. The value of the hospitality was £120. [Registered 16 January 2023, Amended interest 20 January 2023]

I am the Convener of the RMT Scottish Parliamentary Group. [Registered 22 June 2021]

I am a member of Friends of the Earth Scotland.

Expenses incurred in the constituency campaign for the Scottish Parliament Election of 6 May 2021 were met by Airdrie and Shotts Constituency Labour Party (A&S CLP). To assist in this campaign A&S CLP received, from permissible sources, the following donations: £2,000 from Unite the Union, a trade union (of John Smith House, 145/165 West Regent Street, Glasgow G2 4RZ). £1,000 from CWU, a trade union (of 150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1RX). £250 from ASLEF, a trade union (of 77 St John Street, Clerkenwell, London EC1M 4NN). £450 from UNISON Scotland a trade union (of 14 West Campbell Street, Glasgow G2 6RX). £100 from TSSA, a trade union (of 2nd floor, 17 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4SQ). £500 from the RMT, a trade union (of Unity House. 39 Chalton Street. London NW1 1JD).

I am a member of the William Morris Society.

I am a member of the GMB Union.

I am a member of the Keir Hardie Society.

Recent Activity

What was said

What Richard Leonard 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: 16 January 2025

Child Poverty

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "Absolute rubbish."

Chamber meeting date: 16 January 2025

Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Highlands and Islands)

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "I thank Rhoda Grant for initiating this critical debate and the Scottish Human Rights Commission for having the courage to carry the inquiry out and publish its findings in full…

Chamber meeting date: 15 January 2025

Grangemouth Oil Refinery

7. Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "I remind members of my entry relating to trade unions in the register of members’ interests…

Chamber meeting date: 9 January 2025

Migration System

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "This year marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of “Ganz Unten”—“at the very bottom”—by the radical campaigner Günter Wallraff. It was translated into many languages, including into English as “Lowest of the Low”…

Public Audit Committee meeting date: 9 January 2025

Decision on Taking Business in Private

The Convener: "The second item on our agenda is for the committee to consider whether to take agenda items 4 and 5 in private. Are we agreed to do so? Members indicated agreement."

Votes

How Richard Leonard has voted in Parliament

Find out how Richard Leonard has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 29 Amendment 14

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Result 46 for, 70 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-16114

Approval of SSI

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Result 88 for, 29 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16093

Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill

Submitted by: Angela Constance, Almond Valley, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, January 13, 2025

Supported by: Siobhian Brown
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Result 116 for, 0 against, 1 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16092.2

Valuing Culture: Scotland's Support to the Culture Sector

Submitted by: Neil Bibby, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, January 13, 2025

Supported by: Michael Marra, Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Result 24 for, 64 against, 28 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-16092

Valuing Culture: Scotland's Support to the Culture Sector

Submitted by: Angus Robertson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, January 13, 2025

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Result 69 for, 23 against, 26 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP abstained

Vote Passed

Motions

Questions

Questions Richard Leonard has asked

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

Question ref. S6W-32767

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the proposals to reduce ScotRail ticket office opening hours at a number of stations, whether it will list the full range of fares, products and services that will no longer be available at these stations during the times that the ticket offices are proposed to be closed."

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32766

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the proposals to reduce ScotRail ticket office opening hours at a number of stations, what its position is on how these proposals represent an improvement for passengers, compared with current arrangements, in relation to (a) access to rail fares and products, (b) passenger assistance, (c) provision of…

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32071

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2024, in relation to the proposed reduction in ticket office opening hours in the evenings on the ScotRail network, what further details it can provide in response to the reported concerns of passengers travelling at night, particularly women,…

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32074

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2024, in relation to the proposed reduction in ticket office opening hours on the ScotRail network, what further details it can provide in response to the reported concerns of passengers and staff that the proposals will introduce uncertainty…

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 January 2025

Question ref. S6O-04191

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 8 January 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact on the Scottish economy of the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery."

Taken in the Chamber on 15 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32073

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2024, in relation to the estimate that ScotRail’s proposed changes in staff deployment will deliver an additional 11…

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32075

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has decided not to consult with the public on the recent proposed changes to ticket office opening hours on the ScotRail network."

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32076

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what recent consideration has been given to increasing the number of staff based across ScotRail's station network."

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32072

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2024, in relation to ScotRail’s proposed changes in staff deployment that will make "60 staff actively more available" to support passengers in tackling concerns around antisocial behaviour, at which stations these 60 staff are currently…

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 January 2025

Question ref. S6W-32077

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 10 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2024, in relation to ScotRail’s experience of targeting antisocial behaviour through proactively planning a more visible staff presence at the right locations, what definition of the "right locations" has been provided by ScotRail when…

Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 January 2025

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