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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

Richard is a member of 1 committee

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: 14 November 2024

Day of the Imprisoned Writer 2024

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "I thank Ruth Maguire for lodging this important motion and Jackie Dunbar for leading off today’s debate…

Chamber meeting date: 13 November 2024

Point of Order

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. In this afternoon’s debate on inheritance tax, Jim Fairlie accused me of misleading Parliament…

Chamber meeting date: 13 November 2024

Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs (Farms)

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "Much of the language in this debate has been intemperate, inaccurate and deliberately inflammatory. The new Tory rural affairs spokesperson stood up in Parliament last week and accused the UK Labour Government of “taking our land”…

Chamber meeting date: 7 November 2024

Brexit (Impact on Rural Economy)

Richard Leonard (Central Scotland) (Lab): "Can I start by introducing some objective—"

Public Audit Committee meeting date: 7 November 2024

Decisions on Taking Business in Private

The Convener (Richard Leonard): "Good morning and welcome to the 27th meeting in 2024 of the Public Audit Committee. James Dornan joins us online. Graham Simpson has to present amendments to another committee, but may join us later, depending on how that goes…

Votes

How Richard Leonard has voted in Parliament

Find out how Richard Leonard has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-15423.2

Business Programme

Submitted by: Liam Kerr, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Result 48 for, 70 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-15423.1

Business Programme

Submitted by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Neil Bibby, Katy Clark, Rhoda Grant, Mark Griffin, Daniel Johnson, Michael Marra, Pauline McNeill, Paul O'Kane, Colin Smyth
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Result 51 for, 67 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-15401

Scotland’s Housing Emergency

Submitted by: Meghan Gallacher, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, November 11, 2024

Supported by: Tess White
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Result 66 for, 52 against, 1 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-15425

Approval of SSI

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Result 61 for, 0 against, 57 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP abstained

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-15401.3

Scotland’s Housing Emergency

Submitted by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dunfermline, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Supported by: Paul McLennan, Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Result 60 for, 57 against, 1 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted against

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-30796

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 22 October 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider seeking to amend section 51 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to ensure that the assessment of the safety of safe walking routes to school is undertaken by an independent body."

Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 November 2024

Question ref. S6O-03985

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 13 November 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities will receive a fair budget settlement."

Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2024

Question ref. S6W-30996

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 31 October 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what translation and interpretation support is provided to agricultural wages inspectors when they make visits to workplaces."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 November 2024

Question ref. S6W-30997

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 31 October 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how many enforcement notices have been issued by the Agricultural Wages Enforcement Team in each of the last five years."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 November 2024

Question ref. S6W-30992

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 31 October 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how many employers make deductions at (a) the maximum and (b) less than the maximum permitted level for accommodation other than a house from workers on the Seasonal Worker Visa scheme."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 November 2024

Question ref. S6W-30991

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 31 October 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) employers and (b) workplaces are monitored by the Agricultural Wages Enforcement Team."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 November 2024

Question ref. S6W-30995

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 31 October 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how many agricultural wages inspectors are (a) directly employed by it and (b) independent contractors."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 November 2024

Question ref. S6W-30994

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 31 October 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent staffed posts there have been in the Agricultural Wages Enforcement Team in each of the last five years."

Answered by Jim Fairlie on 13 November 2024

Question ref. S6W-30998

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 31 October 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what housing standards (a) caravans and (b) static homes that are provided by employers to workers employed on the Seasonal Worker Visa scheme are subject to."

Answered by Paul McLennan on 12 November 2024

Question ref. S6T-02170

Asked by: Leonard, Richard, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 4 November 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of any potential implications for accessibility, equality and safety for passengers and the public, whether it will permit the reduction in opening hours of ticket offices by ScotRail."

Taken in the Chamber on 5 November 2024

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