Latest News –  Martin Whitfield MSP

The 2025 Countryside Alliance Awards are now open to public nomination, and Martin Whitfield MSP is urging people in South Scotland to get nominating. These awards, nicknamed the ‘Rural Oscars’, celebrate people going the extra mile to ensure that our rural food and farming industry, small businesses, traditional skills, forward-thinking enterprises and, most of all, its communities, can flourish. South Scotland has enjoyed success at the awards in the past, with Carfrae Farm Shop being Highly Commended at this year’s awards and the Humbie Hub winning in the Village Shop & Post Office category last year. Martin Whitfield MSP said: [...]

A Scottish Parliament motion marking the success of Prestonpans War Memorial at the recent Legion Scotland Best Kept War Memorial competition has already garnered the support of more than a dozen MSPs. Tabled by Martin Whitfield MSP, who is a Prestonpans resident, the motion welcomes the memorial winning in the Large Community without Gardens category at the prestigious awards and congratulates the various local groups that have been involved in the memorial’s restoration and upkeep. Commenting on the award, Martin Whitfield MSP said: “I was delighted to see the War Memorial secure this success at the Legion Scotland awards and [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has pledged his support for this year’s Gas Safety Week (9th-15th September) and is helping the industry to raise public awareness about the importance of gas safety. Gas Safety Week is here to remind the public how to keep themselves gas safe, and organisations across the nation are working together to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances, which can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. This year for Gas Safety Week, the theme is ‘Checking—Every Check Counts’, emphasising the importance of, amongst other things, regular gas safety checks. The [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has welcomed the publication of the Blood Cancer Action Plan (BCAP), a landmark report published by Blood Cancer UK that sheds light on the factors keeping UK blood cancer survival rates lagging behind. From access to clinical trials, regional inequalities, and slow diagnosis – a taskforce of specialists, researchers, GPs and people living with blood cancer have laid out what action needs to be taken to improve survival rates. The key messages from the charity are that despite advances in research and treatment, blood cancer survival in the UK is being overshadowed, because getting access to the [...]

Speaking during a Ministerial Statement on mobile phones and behaviour and relationships in school, Martin Whitfield MSP questioned the Cabinet Secretary on the challenges faced by care-experienced pupils. The South Scotland MSP referenced the Scottish Government's recently published “Education Outcomes for Looked after Children 2022/23” report, which shows that care-experienced pupils face significant challenges in achieving academic success. Mr Whitfield asked the Cabinet Secretary to confirm that the Government has details of the risk profile of this group and how these young people will be able to feed into the new guidance on mobile phones in schools and the joint [...]

A motion celebrating the 70th anniversary of Ross High School has been tabled at the Scottish Parliament by Martin Whitfield MSP. Mr Whitfield’s motion highlights the school’s significant milestone and congratulates everyone who has been associated with it over the years on its various successes. Commenting, Martin Whitfield MSP said: “During the time I’ve represented the East Lothian area, I’ve always been greatly impressed by Ross High School and its various achievements. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to visit the school, as well as to welcome pupils to parliament and help celebrate some of its many successes along the [...]