Paul Wheelhouse
Scottish National Party
MSP for South Scotland (Region) 2011 - present day
About Paul Wheelhouse
Contact details
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
Phone: 01450 379572
Text relay calls welcome.
Contact at their Constituency
8 Sandbed
Hawick
TD9 0HE
Phone: 01450 379572
Text relay calls welcome.
Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.
Committees
Paul is not a member of any committees
Cross-party groups
Paul is not a member of any cross-party groups
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Paul has 1 parliamentary and government role
Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands
Scottish Government
Find out more about the Cabinet and Ministers at the Scottish Government website.
Party Roles
Paul does not have any party roles
Previous roles
Paul has had 5 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
18 May 2016 - 26 June 2018
Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy
Scottish Government
21 November 2014 - 18 May 2016
Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs
Scottish Government
06 September 2012 - 21 November 2014
Minister for Environment and Climate Change
Scottish Government
01 June 2011 - 06 September 2012
Finance Committee
Member
01 June 2011 - 06 September 2012
Standards Procedures and Public Appointments 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.
Here is the register for Paul Wheelhouse. The date of their initial statement was 01 June 2016.
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
In addition, prior to my election in 2011, I was a member of Ayton Community Council, Scottish Borders (2006-2011). This position had to be relinquished with immediate effect upon my election as a MSP.
I am a member of the Scottish National Party (SNP).
I am a former education and economic consultant who provided services for both public and private sector clients. I now work full-time as a Member of the Scottish Parliament and junior Scottish Government minister and I have no second income outside my ministerial and MSP roles.
I previously worked for Pieda plc from 1992-1998 as an assistant economist and then as an economic consultant. From 1998 to 2009 I worked for DTZ Pieda Consulting/DTZ Consulting & Research as an economic consultant and later a senior economic consultant. From 2009 to 2010 I worked for BiGGAR Economics Ltd as senior consultant, before working as a freelance consultant for a short period prior to my election in 2011 and received no remuneration in that capacity after being elected to serve in the Parliament in 2011. Past Clients For the purposes of transparency, my past clients have included the following government organisations and agencies: • Scottish Funding Council • Scottish Enterprise • Scottish Government • Highlands & Islands Enterprise • Careers Scotland / Skills Development Scotland • East of England Development Agency • HEFCE • Learning & Skills Council (at England and Regional level) • National Museums of Scotland • North West Development Agency • Northern Ireland Office and, subsequently, Northern Ireland Assembly • One North East • South East England Development Agency My past clients have also included the City of Edinburgh Council, East Renfrewshire Council, Fife Council, Sanctuary Housing Association and Glasgow Housing Association. My past clients have also included the following bodies in the university and college sector: • University of Aberdeen • Argyll College • Borders College • University of Wales • Trinity College Carmarthen • Peterborough Regional College • Loughborough University • University of Glasgow • The Robert Gordon University • University of West of Scotland • Glasgow Metropolitan College • Elmwood College • Easter Bush Research Consortium • UHI Millennium Institute • Sabhal Mor Ostaig • Queen Margaret University • Universities for Milton Keynes • Heriot-Watt University • South Lanarkshire College • Motherwell College • Cumbernauld College • Anniesland College • Clydebank College My past clients have also included the following developers: • AWG Properties Ltd* • Bellway Homes* • EDI • Ediston Properties Ltd* • Elphinstone Land Ltd* • Elphinstone Estates Ltd • Hallam Land Management* • Hallhill Developments Ltd* • John Swan Ltd • John R Craig (as consortium lead for team including Scotia Homes and D Ferguson)* • J Rutherford (Earlston) Ltd* • Kier Group • Manor Forrest Ltd* • Moray Estates Development Co.* • Park Lane Developments* • Persimmon (East Scotland) Ltd* • Premier Property Group (PPG) / Murray Estates Residential Ltd/ Murray Estates Lothian Ltd* • Scotia Homes * • Scottish National Institute for the War Blinded* • Taylor Wimpey* • UNITE plc • UPP Developers marked with a star (*) indicate developers for whom I previously acted as an expert witness in relation to developments or have provided strategic advice for clients. In addition I have taken on this role at the following sites— • Land to East of Ratho Station – in 2004/05 - (Mr A Allison and Family and Park Lane Developments Ltd) • Lauder Barns, Scottish Borders (Mr J Damerell) I have no ongoing business relationship with any of the former clients that I have listed. Planning consultants For transparency I have worked with planning consultants including: DTZ, Barton Willmore Partnership, Jenkins and Marr, DPP, Keppie Planning, Robin Holder Associates, Turleys, and Turnberry Consulting. I have no ongoing business relationship with any of the consultants listed.
I am a former Secretary of Cockburnspath Community Council, Scottish Borders (2001-2005). This position was relinquished when I moved to Ayton.
I formerly worked as a social and economic policy specialist, and through a 19 year career developed expertise in research and as expert witness in support of local plan inquiries, with a specific role in modelling school infrastructure needs of new residential developments. For a wide range of public and private sector clients I undertook: economic appraisal; policy evaluation; project appraisal and economic analysis; Further Education and Higher Education demand research/participation benchmarking and trends; strategic marketing/environmental analysis; education expert witness services; and analysis of demand and supply trends and market drivers in UK residential markets.
I am a former member of Eyemouth and East Berwickshire Partnership Tourism Grants Assessment Panel which was wound up once EU funding ceased.
I am currently an ordinary member of the ‘Friends of Eyemouth Fort’ – a volunteer group supporting the efforts to maintain the vegetation on the site, learn more about the archaeology and history of the Eyemouth Fort and to promote it as an educational resource and visitor attraction. This does not involve any remuneration or significant time commitment that conflicts with my parliamentary duties.
I am a former member of East Berwickshire Communities – a now disbanded consultative forum feeding into the EU funded Eyemouth and East Berwickshire Partnership, i.e. a local regeneration partnership serving the communities of Berwickshire.
I was a member of the following prior to relinquishing my memberships upon taking up my position as a Scottish Government junior minister (September 2012 – to date): I am a former member of Rail Action Group East Scotland (RAGES) which seeks, among its aims to reinstate local/commuter rail services between Edinburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed, with reopened/new stations at East Linton and Reston. I am a former member of Shelter Scotland. I am a former member of the Campaign for Borders Rail. I am a former member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). I am a former member of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish SPCA).
I am a former Secretary of Berwickshire Community Council Forum and Environment Group, Scottish Borders (2004).
Recent Activity
What was said
What Paul Wheelhouse 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: 23 February 2021
Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse): "I am delighted to have the opportunity to address members on the Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill. I am also delighted that we have reached this stage, after many years of preparation and extensive stakeholder engagement…
Chamber meeting date: 23 February 2021
Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse): "Part 1 of the bill creates a licensing system for those who are supplying thermal energy by means of a heat network…
Chamber meeting date: 18 February 2021
Ferries Plan
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse): "The islands connectivity plan will replace the ferries plan by the end of 2022…
Chamber meeting date: 18 February 2021
Decision Time
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I apologise—I had a problem logging in to the platform. I would have voted yes."
Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee meeting date: 16 February 2021
Climate Change Plan
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse): "Thank you, convener. Good morning, colleagues. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the energy sector content of the climate change plan update…
Votes
How Paul Wheelhouse has voted in Parliament
Find out how Paul Wheelhouse has voted recently.
Budget (Scotland) (No.5) Bill
Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Supported by: Ivan McKee
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, February 25, 2021
Result 88 for, 31 against, 5 abstained, 5 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Budget (Scotland) (No.5) Bill
Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, February 25, 2021
Result 53 for, 62 against, 10 abstained, 4 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Budget (Scotland) (No.5) Bill
Submitted by: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, February 25, 2021
Result 22 for, 60 against, 41 abstained, 6 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Scottish Rate Resolution
Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Supported by: Ivan McKee
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, February 25, 2021
Result 88 for, 1 against, 35 abstained, 5 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Fair Funding for Local Government
Submitted by: Aileen Campbell, Clydesdale, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Supported by: Ivan McKee
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Result 65 for, 51 against, 0 abstained, 13 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Motions
Motions made by Paul Wheelhouse in Parliament
Find out what motions Paul Wheelhouse has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Paul Wheelhouse 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: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 17 August 2012
"To ask the Scottish Government how many convictions there have been each year under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 for causing unnecessary suffering, and what proportion of those convicted received a (a) disqualification and (b) deprivation order."
Answered by: Kenny MacAskill on 3 September 2012
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 29 August 2012
"To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been given to assist areas identified by the Scottish Funding Council as having low participation rates in further education."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 23 May 2012
"To ask the Scottish Executive what forums exist for it to represent Scottish international trade interests to governments in export markets."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 10 May 2012
"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to shorten the diagnosis time for Dystonia, which, according to the Dystonia Society, can take up to four years."
Answered by: Nicola Sturgeon on 21 May 2012
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 10 May 2012
"To ask the Scottish Government what provisions are in place across all NHS boards for diagnosing and treating Dystonia."
Answered by: Nicola Sturgeon on 21 May 2012
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 10 May 2012
"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it (a) is taking, (b) could take, and (c) will take to raise awareness of Dystonia amongst public sector agencies and wider society."
Answered by: Nicola Sturgeon on 21 May 2012
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 16 May 2012
"To ask the Scottish Executive what support is provided to community-led regeneration in South Scotland."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 2 May 2012
"To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the speed limits on A-roads."
Answered by: Keith Brown on 16 May 2012
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 2 May 2012
"To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Road Haulage Association regarding raising the speed limit for HGVs on A-roads."
Answered by: Keith Brown on 16 May 2012
Asked by: Wheelhouse, Paul, South Scotland, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 2 May 2012
"To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to alter the speed limit for HGVs on A-roads and, if so, for what reason."
Answered by: Keith Brown on 16 May 2012
See all of Paul Wheelhouse's written questions submitted in Parliament