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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

Image description

Paul McLennan

Scottish National Party

MSP for East Lothian (Constituency) 2021 - present day

About Paul McLennan

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @paulmclennan7

Facebook: Paul's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 5083
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

5a Mitchell's Close
Haddington
EH41 3NB

Phone: 01620 849240
Text relay calls welcome.

Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.

Committees

Paul is a member of 2 committees

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Member

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Member

Cross-party groups

Paul is a member of 2 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on St Andrew's Day

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Towns and Town Centres

Deputy Convener

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Paul does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Paul does not have any party roles

Previous roles

Paul has had the following roles in Parliament

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

30 March 2023 - 11 June 2025

Minister for Housing

Scottish Government

17 June 2021 - 11 April 2023

Local Government Housing and Planning Committee

Member

31 March 2022 - 11 April 2023

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Member

17 June 2021 - 25 November 2021

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 McLennan. The date of their initial statement was 08 June 2021.

Remuneration and related undertaking

Until 7 May 2021, when I resigned, I was an Associate DIrector at Playfair Scotland, a public affairs company (of 10 South St Andrew Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2AZ). I worked 35 hours per week and received remuneration of between £25,001 and £30,000 per annum. I received a final salary payment of £390.43 on 28 May 2021.

I am a Councillor for East Lothian Council (of John Muir House, Brewery Park, Haddington, EH41 3HA). I work 10-15 hours per week and receive salary and use of a mobile phone and laptop. I estimate that the total combined value of this remuneration is between £15,001 and £20,000 per annum and I will donate this remuneration to charities from June 2021 onwards.

Gifts

No registrable interests

Overseas visits

No registrable interests

Controlled transactions

No registrable interests

Heritable property

I own a house in Dunbar, East Lothian with a market value of between £150,001 and £200,000. I rent this house to my parents-in-law and receive gross rental income of up to £5,000 per annum.

Interest in shares

No registrable interests

Voluntary

No registrable interests

Recent Activity

What was said

What Paul McLennan 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.

Medium-term Financial Strategy and Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan

Chamber meeting date: 25 June 2025

Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP): "East Lothian is one of the fastest-growing areas in Scotland, along with the broader south-east Scotland region…

Budget (Provisional Outturn 2024-25)

Chamber meeting date: 24 June 2025

Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP): "The minister highlighted that Scotland has higher economic growth than the rest of the UK. Can he outline areas of expenditure in the outturn for 2024-25 that have helped to create that competitive economic advantage for the Scottish economy?"

Interests

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee meeting date: 24 June 2025

Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP): "I have no relevant interests to declare."

Defence Sector (Economic Contribution)

Chamber meeting date: 18 June 2025

Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP): "This debate is taking place at a time of heightened tensions in many parts of the world. My thoughts are with those people who are suffering from the many wars and conflicts that are raging at the moment. Too many innocent people are being killed…

Health and Social Care

Chamber meeting date: 17 June 2025

Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP): "For a number of years, social care recruitment has been a challenge in the east of East Lothian—in particular, for the rural villages near Dunbar, Haddington and North Berwick…

Votes

How Paul McLennan has voted in Parliament

Find out how Paul McLennan has voted recently.

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-16789

Submitted by: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 27, 2025

Result 64 for, 1 against, 53 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP abstained

Agreed

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Motion ref. S6M-16892

Submitted by: Mairi Gougeon, Angus North and Mearns, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 24, 2025

Supported by: Jim Fairlie
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Result 91 for, 29 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution

Motion ref. S6M-16960

Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Result 90 for, 30 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Approval of SSI

Motion ref. S6M-16942

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Result 70 for, 0 against, 50 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Scotland – A Fair Trade Nation

Motion ref. S6M-16923

Submitted by: Angus Robertson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 24, 2025

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Result 108 for, 7 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motions

Questions

Questions Paul McLennan has asked

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

Question reference: S6O-05455

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 28 January 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 February 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what implications the recent announcement of next steps for its £1.5 billion bonds programme will have for the financing of major capital projects across Scotland."

Question reference: S6O-05435

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 21 January 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on improving accommodation standards in relation to legislation that currently exists in Scotland for seasonal agricultural workers."

Question reference: S6O-05393

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 14 January 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with the UK Government to ensure that the consultation on combinable crops will deliver for Scotland's arable farmers."

Question reference: S6O-05383

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 7 January 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding transport solutions to support the current and future development of Blindwells, East Lothian."

Question reference: S6O-05303

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 10 December 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland on its proposal, The future of provision for neurodevelopmental conditions."

Question reference: S6F-04511

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 1 December 2025

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2025

"To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government's latest engagement with the UK Government regarding any impact on poverty levels in Scotland of the freeze to Local Housing Allowance."

Question reference: S6W-42017

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 19 November 2025

Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 20 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government when it will lay the proposal for the first Children’s Rights Scheme before the Scottish Parliament."

Question reference: S6W-38923

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 23 June 2025

Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline its plans for ensuring that island biosecurity, which is a commitment under the National Islands Plan and Goal 6 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, continues to be addressed throughout the island network when the current Biosecurity for Scotland project draws to a close in March 2026."

Question reference: S6O-03874

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 14 August 2024

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2028

"To ask the Scottish Government test."

Question reference: S6W-15916

Asked by: Paul McLennan, East Lothian, Scottish National Party

Date lodged: 13 March 2023

Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 27 March 2023

"To ask the Scottish Government, in the event that any bids that it receives for National Park status cover contiguous or overlapping areas, whether the Scottish Ministers will be able to consider combining those bids into one larger National Park."