Andy Wightman
Scottish Green Party
MSP for Lothian (Region) 2016 - present day
About Andy Wightman
Contact details
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 6368
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Andy is a member of 4 committees
Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee
Substitute Member
Justice Committee
Substitute Member
Cross-party groups
Andy is a member of 16 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Architecture and the Built Environment
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Credit Unions
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Housing
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Human Trafficking
Co-Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Industrial Communities
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on International Development
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Music
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Nuclear Disarmament
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Russia
Co-Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Scottish Showmen's Guild
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Shared Parenting
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Social Enterprise
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Social Science
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Towns and Town Centres
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Women in Enterprise
Member
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Andy has 1 parliamentary and government role
Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
Appointed Member
Party Roles
Andy has 3 party roles
Party Spokesperson on Housing
Scottish Green Party
Party Spokesperson on Land Reform
Scottish Green Party
Party Spokesperson on Local Government
Scottish Green Party
Previous roles
Andy has had 4 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
06 September 2018 - 19 December 2018
Culture Tourism Europe and External Affairs Committee
Substitute Member
08 June 2016 - 06 September 2018
Economy Jobs and Fair Work Committee
Member
29 September 2016 - 06 September 2018
Culture Tourism Europe and External Relations Committee
Substitute Member
29 June 2016 - 29 September 2016
European and External Relations Committee
Substitute Member
Register of interests
Andy'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 Andy Wightman. The date of the initial statement was 07 June 2016.
Remuneration and related undertaking
On 16 May 2017 I received £500 remuneration from NEoN (North East of North) Ltd. (a digital arts charity of Chamber Building, 1-3 Panmure Street, Dundee DD1 1EP) for participation in Cateran's CommonWealth Festival. [Registered 02 June 2017]
On 14 February 2017 I received £66 under the Public Lending Right (administered by the British Library, of the PLR office, the British Library, Stockton-on-Tees). The Public Lending Right ensures that British authors receive payment for the free lending of their books. On 15 February 2018 I received £58.06 under the Public Lending Right. On 1 February 2019 I received £48.56 under the Public Lending Right. On 27 February 2020 I received £26.10 under the Public Lending Right. [Registered 27 February 2017, Amended interest 10 September 2020]
On 3 April 2017 I received £450 for undertaking teaching and examination duties for the University of Glasgow School of Law (of University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ). This was a one-off engagement . [Registered 28 April 2017]
Prior to my election I conducted research and writing on a full time basis, as a sole trader. In this financial year (2016-17) I received remuneration of approximately £7,200 for (a) work carried out and completed prior to the date of the election and (b) work commissioned prior to 5 May 2016 but not yet completed. I do not intend to take on any more work of this nature while serving as an MSP. On 12 August 2016 I received £2,725.80 of royalty payments for published books. In total, I received remuneration of between £10,001 and £15,000 this financial year (2016-17). On 31 August 2017 I received £2,396.54 in royalty payments from Birlinn Ltd. (a publishing company of West Newington House, 10 Newington Road, Edinburgh EH9 1QS). Until 1 February 2019 I received subscription payments to www.whoownsscotland.org.uk which amounted to approximately £500 a month, on an ongoing basis. From 1 February 2019 I no longer receive subscription payments. On 31 August 2018 I received a royalties payment from Birlinn Ltd. of £1904.05. On 30 August 2019 I received a royalties payment of £1971.85 from Birlinn Ltd. On 28 August 2020, I received £1446.47 in royalty payments from Birlinn Ltd. [Amended interest 23 August 2016, Amended interest 30 June 2017, Amended interest 28 September 2017, Amended interest 29 October 2018, Amended interest 26 February 2019, Amended Interest 25 September 2019, Amended interest 9 September 2020]
On 19 June 2017 I received £150 from the University of Glasgow (of University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ) as a fee for participation in a Creative Conversations event on 5 December 2016. [Registered 30 June 2017]
On 18 November 2016 I received remuneration of £150 from Moray Council (of High Street, Elgin, Moray, IV30 1BX) for an appearance at the Spirit of Moray Book Festival. [Registered 12 December 2016]
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 own 10 X £50 shares in Apple Juice (Applecross) Ltd, a Community Benefit Society. On 24 August 2018 I received a £40 dividend. [Amended interest 29 October 2018]
I own 500 x £1 shares in Lochbroom Community Renewables Ltd, a Community Benefit Society. [Registered 03 July 2017]
I am an Honorary Fellow of the School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh
I am a Director of the Caledonia Centre for Social Development.
I own 2,453 shares in Standard Life plc.
I am currently defending an action for defamation in the Court of Session and have crowdfunded legal costs. From 14 June 2017 to 30 June 2017 I have received a total of £49,982.98. As of 13 May 2018, the sum received by way of aggregate gifts to support the defence of my defamation action was £59,153.71. As of 4 August 2019, the aggregate amount of gifts received was £168,182.56. [Registered 30 June 2017, Amended interest 29 October 2018, Amended 26 August 2019]
On 11 October 2018, I attended COSLA's annual conference. COSLA met the cost of my overnight accommodation to a value of approximately £100 [Registered 29 October 2018]
Recent Activity
What was said
What Andy Wightman 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: 10 December 2020
Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green): "The debate is about the victims of very serious crimes—some of the most heinous crimes that can be committed against a person…
Chamber meeting date: 9 December 2020
Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green): "I am pleased to see the inclusion of rights and equality impacts in the report. As the cabinet secretary will know, I have been concerned about how the Parliament upholds our citizens’ rights to a home…
Local Government and Communities Committee meeting date: 9 December 2020
European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
Andy Wightman: "I thank the committee for its work in scrutinising the bill. I will briefly set out why I introduced it and what it seeks to achieve…
Local Government and Communities Committee meeting date: 9 December 2020
Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green): "Under section 82 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, on asset transfer request decisions, public authorities are required to go through a fairly complex decision-making process to balance all the advantages and disadvantages…
Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints meeting date: 8 December 2020
Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green): "I wish you a happy birthday, Mr Murrell—that seems to be the protocol. Following the questions from Murdo Fraser and Jackie Baillie, I want to clarify something…
Votes
How Andy Wightman has voted in Parliament
Find out how Andy Wightman has voted recently.
Responding to Parliamentary Will and Calls for Clarity in Education
Submitted by: John Swinney, Perthshire North, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Supported by: Richard Lochhead, Maree Todd
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Result 61 for, 62 against, 0 abstained, 6 no vote
MSP voted against
Vote Defeated
Economy
Submitted by: Maurice Golden, West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, December 7, 2020
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Result 94 for, 28 against, 0 abstained, 7 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Responding to Parliamentary Will and Calls for Clarity in Education
Submitted by: Jamie Greene, West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, December 7, 2020
Supported by: Michelle Ballantyne
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Result 59 for, 4 against, 61 abstained, 5 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Approval of SSI
Submitted by: Graeme Dey, Angus South, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Result 95 for, 25 against, 1 abstained, 8 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Economy
Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Supported by: Kate Forbes, Fiona Hyslop, Ben Macpherson, Ivan McKee
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Result 71 for, 31 against, 22 abstained, 5 no vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Motions
Motions made by Andy Wightman in Parliament
Find out what motions Andy Wightman has submitted recently.
Written questions
Written questions Andy Wightman 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: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 10 December 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what it will do to further protect tenants over the festive period who may be facing eviction."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 10 December 2020
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 18 November 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it collects data on the settings where COVID-19 is being transmitted within each local authority and, if so, whether it will publish this."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 26 October 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what specific steps it has taken to inform homeowners of the changes introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (Tolerable Standard) (Extension of Criteria) Order 2019 since January 2019, and when it took these steps…
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 2 November 2020
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 8 September 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has granted permission for any mid-market rents for units funded through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme to exceed the mid-point of market rent levels for the relevant Broad Rental Market Area."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 22 September 2020
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 8 September 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the data in the High Rise Inventory on the construction and fire safety of high-rise domestic buildings was collected by (a) Capita and (b) ScotXed."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 17 September 2020
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 8 September 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of the initial data collection exercise by Capita for the High Rise Inventory on the construction and fire safety of high-rise domestic buildings."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 17 September 2020
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 8 September 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid out in loans to date through the Private Rent Sector Landlord COVID-19 Loan Scheme, also broken down by local authority."
Answered by: Kevin Stewart on 16 September 2020
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 9 September 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment made by the Lord Advocate in April 2018 regarding raising proceedings against companies and Scottish limited partnerships for failure to comply with their statutory duties to provide information to Companies House, what progress there has been and whether there have been any convictions."
Awaiting answer
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 22 July 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the evaluation of the Small Business Bonus Scheme, and when the results will be published."
Answered by: Ben Macpherson on 18 August 2020
Asked by: Wightman, Andy, Lothian, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 9 July 2020
"To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on its Housing to 2040 strategy, and what the timescales are for completing its consultation and other relevant work."
Answered by: Aileen Campbell on 27 July 2020
See all of Andy Wightman's written questions submitted in Parliament