Elaine Smith
Scottish Labour
MSP for Central Scotland (Region) 2016 - present day
Former MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston (Constituency) 1999 - 2016
About Elaine Smith
Contact details
Contact online
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5824
Text relay calls welcome.
Contact at their Constituency
Unit 32
Coatbridge Business Centre
204 Main Street
Coatbridge
ML5 3RB
Phone: 01236 423555
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Elaine is a member of 2 committees
Equalities and Human Rights Committee
Substitute Member
Equalities and Human Rights Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Elaine is a member of 7 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Malawi
Deputy Convener
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Elaine has 2 parliamentary and government roles
Parliamentary Bureau
Member
Parliamentary Bureau
Member
Party Roles
Elaine does not have any party roles
Previous roles
Elaine has had 18 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
02 September 2019 - 01 March 2021
Party Business Convener
Scottish Labour
16 November 2020 - 01 March 2021
Party Spokesperson for the Eradication of Poverty and Inequality
Scottish Labour
09 January 2018 - 05 September 2019
Standards Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
Member
09 January 2018 - 05 September 2019
Finance and Constitution Committee
Substitute Member
16 June 2016 - 20 September 2018
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Branch Executive
Member
08 June 2016 - 08 September 2016
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Member
08 June 2016 - 15 June 2016
Local Government and Communities Committee
Member
11 May 2011 - 12 May 2016
Deputy Presiding Officer
Scottish Parliament
26 May 2010 - 22 March 2011
Subordinate Legislation Committee
Member
20 September 2007 - 24 May 2010
Subordinate Legislation Committee
Substitute Member
19 June 2007 - 20 March 2009
Equal Opportunities Committee
Deputy Convener
13 June 2007 - 26 June 2007
Subordinate Legislation Committee
Member
13 June 2007 - 19 June 2007
Equal Opportunities Committee
Member
04 June 2003 - 02 April 2007
Equal Opportunities Committee
Member
30 June 2005 - 02 April 2007
Environment and Rural Development Committee
Member
04 June 2003 - 23 August 2004
Communities Committee
Member
17 June 1999 - 31 March 2003
Equal Opportunities Committee
Member
29 March 2001 - 31 March 2003
Rural Development Committee
Member
Register of interests
Elaine'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 Elaine Smith. The date of their initial statement was 25 May 2016.
Remuneration and related undertaking
No registrable interests
Gifts
I received sponsorship of between £1,001 and £2,000 from UNISON to fund the services of a research assistant to provide eight days research from 3 to 31 March 2004 on the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Bill.
Between 7 June 2002 and 18 November 2004 I received sponsorship by way of assistance from Govan Law Centre to assist me in developing the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Bill. The value of this sponsorship was between £5,001 and £10,000.
Overseas visits
No registrable interests
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
My husband and I own £2 of shares in McQuick Ltd, a manufacturing company. This constitutes 66.6% of the issued share capital.
Voluntary
I am a director of McQuick Ltd (Bagpipe Covers). I receive no remuneration for this position.
I am a member of Unite.
I am a member of the General Teaching Council.
From 22 February 2019 I am a Patron on Missio Scotland. I receive no remuneration for this position. [Registered 22 February 2019]
I am a member of the Dunbeth Bowling Club.
I am a member of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign (CSC).
I am a member of Scottish Friends of Palestine.
I am an Ambassador for St Andrews Hospice Airdrie. I receive no remuneration for this position.
I am a member of the Dunbeth Bowling Club.
I am a member of CND.
[Ceased interest removed from entry: 20 February 2018]
I am Convener of the RMT Scottish Parliamentary Group.
Recent Activity
What was said
What Elaine Smith 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: 4 March 2021
Energy Transition Funding
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. The First Minister said earlier that the Parliament would debate the findings of the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints and James Hamilton’s report…
Chamber meeting date: 4 March 2021
After-school Care Facilities (Reopening)
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab): "Now that more children are back at school, and the indication is that all children should return after Easter, when will all the after-school care facilities be permitted to start operating, given that they provide a vital service for working parents…
Chamber meeting date: 4 March 2021
International Women’s Day 2021
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab): "I hope that the cabinet secretary agrees that that should include challenging the systems in this Parliament, because we can see that younger women and, in particular, women with families feel that it is not as family friendly a workplace as it set out to be in 1999."
Chamber meeting date: 25 February 2021
Places of Worship (Reopening)
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab): "In Parliament on Tuesday, the First Minister said that she hoped that communal worship would restart on 5 April, which is the day after Easter Sunday…
Chamber meeting date: 24 February 2021
Local Government Funding
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab): "I have a registered interest related to funding provided by Unison for my member’s bill, the Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Bill…
Votes
How Elaine Smith has voted in Parliament
Find out how Elaine Smith has voted recently.
Scottish Parliamentary Standards (Sexual Harassment and Complaints Process) Bill
Submitted by: Bill Kidd, Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 4, 2021
Result 119 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 10 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill
Submitted by: Gordon Lindhurst, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Supported by: Andy Wightman
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 4, 2021
Result 62 for, 0 against, 56 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Campaign Recess
Submitted by: Graeme Dey, Angus South, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Result 95 for, 1 against, 21 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP abstained
Vote Passed
Scotland’s Recovery
Submitted by: Monica Lennon, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, March 1, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Result 84 for, 34 against, 0 abstained, 11 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Scotland’s Recovery
Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Supported by: Fiona Hyslop, Ivan McKee
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Result 84 for, 33 against, 0 abstained, 12 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Motions
Motions made by Elaine Smith in Parliament
Find out what motions Elaine Smith has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Elaine Smith has submitted in Parliament
These are the questions that this MSP has asked the Scottish Government about its work. It also includes any answer to these questions.
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 1 March 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government when the Ministerial Working Group on Food will provide an update on the Statement of Policy on Food, and how it will ensure the maximum level of stakeholder engagement in the development and implementation of a national food policy."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the review of the extension of free bus travel to under-26s."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with its commitment to deliver free bus travel to all under-19s."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the cost of extending free bus travel to under-26s."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increase in the number of universal credit claimants over the last nine months, whether additional resources will be transferred to local authorities to meet the cost of any additional demand for passported benefits."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the cost of extending free bus travel to people in receipt of benefits because of a low income, including universal credit."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 26 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increase in the number of benefit claimants because of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether the 2021-22 Budget will reflect any additional costs for Social Security Scotland to respond to any increase in (a) benefit claim payments and (b) the number of staff required by the department."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 January 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government whether older people who are hospital inpatients will be vaccinated against COVD-19 while in hospital to avoid missing a local appointment that might have been scheduled to take place during the time of their hospital stay."
Answered by: Jeane Freeman on 25 February 2021
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 20 January 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government what protocols are in place to ensure that older people will be vaccinated against COVID-19 if they miss appointments for any reasons, including the late delivery of mail."
Answered by: Jeane Freeman on 25 February 2021
Asked by: Smith, Elaine, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 17 February 2021
"To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for the Job Start Payment there were between 17 August 2020 and 31 December 2020, broken down by the sex of the applicant; how many (a) were refused and (b) are yet to be processed, and what proportion of applicants that were approved were awarded the (i) standard and (ii) higher rate."
Answered by: Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 February 2021
See all of Elaine Smith's written questions submitted in Parliament