Jeremy Balfour
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
MSP for Lothian (Region) 2016 - present day
About Jeremy Balfour
Contact details
Contact at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5961
Text relay calls welcome.
Committees
Jeremy is a member of 2 committees
Cross-party groups
Jeremy is a member of 18 cross-party groups
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Autism
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Building Bridges with Israel
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Children and Young People
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Colleges and Universities
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Commercial Sexual Exploitation
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Disability
Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Epilepsy
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Freedom of Religion or Belief
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Funerals and Bereavement
Co-Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Future of Football in Scotland
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Heart Disease and Stroke
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Human Trafficking
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Learning Disability
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Racial Equality
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Shared Parenting
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Sport
Deputy Convener
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on USA
Member
Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Volunteering
Deputy Convener
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Jeremy does not have any parliamentary or government roles
Party Roles
Jeremy has 3 party roles
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Communities
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Housing
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Welfare
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Previous roles
Jeremy has had 5 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
10 September 2019 - 25 February 2020
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Member
28 June 2017 - 18 February 2020
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Welfare
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
29 September 2016 - 29 June 2017
Equalities and Human Rights Committee
Member
26 May 2016 - 28 June 2017
Deputy Party Spokesperson on Children
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
08 June 2016 - 29 September 2016
Equal Opportunities Committee
Member
Register of interests
Jeremy's register of interests
MSP's 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 Jeremy Balfour. The date of their initial statement was 06 June 2016.
Remuneration and related undertaking
Until 17 May 2016 I was a personal independence payment (PIP) Tribunal member for the Ministry of Justice (of Whitehall, London). My final payment for this role was up to £500.
Until 12 May 2016 I was the Property Manager for Scottish Churches Housing Action (of 44 Hanover Street, Edinburgh). My final payment for this role was up to £500.
Until 4 May 2017, when I stood down, I was a Councillor with the City of Edinburgh Council (of 253 High Street, Edinburgh). I worked 1 day per week. I received remuneration of between £15,001 and £20,000 per annum. Following my election as an MSP, I advised the Council that I did not wish to take any remuneration for this post. [Amended interest 10 May 2017]
Gifts
No registrable interests
Overseas visits
From 20 to 30 August 2018 I was part of a Tearfund delegation travelling to Rwanda to learn how projects in relation to genocide reconciliation and new business projects are transforming lives. The costs of the visit amounted to £1,700 and were met by Tearfund Scotland (a Christian charity of 29 Canal St, Glasgow G4 0AD). [Registered interest 6 September 2018]
From 9 to 13 October 2017, I participated in a cross-party visit to the Republic of China (Taiwan), at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). The trip was arranged by the Taipei Representative Office (Edinburgh Office) in the UK, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) (of 1 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7PE). I met a number of Government departments, as well as trade and cultural organisations. The cost of the visit was £3,900 for return flights, and the hotel and ancillary expenses was £2,600. All costs were met by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). [Registered interest 27 October 2017]
From 21 to 23 August 2019 I travelled to Stockholm on a fact finding visit. The costs of the visit, for flights, were £223.38 and were met by UK Feminista (a charitable organisation which promotes equality between men and women of Omnibus Business Centre, North Road, London, N7 9DP). [Registered 4 September 2019]
Controlled transactions
No registrable interests
Heritable property
No registrable interests
Interest in shares
No registrable interests
Voluntary
[Ceased interest removed from entry: 3 April 2019]
[Ceased interest removed from entry: 20 April 2018]
I am a director of Bethany Christian Trust. I receive no payments or expenses for this role.
I am a member of the Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland and the Society’s Widow Fund. [Registered 7 February 2020]
[Ceased interest removed from entry: 20 April 2018]
I took part in an MSP interview for Populus Research Strategy. For participating in this a donation of £50 was made to Bethany Christian Trust. [Registered 20 February 2018]
Biography
Overview
I was born and brought up in Edinburgh. I studied at the University of Edinburgh and I am now married and raising my twin girls in the city. I have previously worked as a lawyer, a minister, a charity worker and an Edinburgh City councillor. I became a Lothian MSP in 2016.
What motivated you to become an MSP?
I became interested in politics after I left school. I found it fascinating that people could be both polarised and united by the things they feel passionate about. While it had not been my lifelong ambition to become a politician, my previous occupations helped me to get to know the needs of the people of Lothian better, and made me want to represent them in parliament. As the only physically-disabled MSP, I'm working to make Scotland more inclusive for people with similar challenges to myself.
Recent Activity
What was said
What Jeremy Balfour 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.
Written questions
Written questions Jeremy Balfour 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.
S5W-30248 - Unanswered
25 June 2020
Balfour, Jeremy: "To ask the Scottish Government what the employment rate for disabled people has been in each of the last five years."
S5W-30183 - Unanswered
23 June 2020
Balfour, Jeremy: "To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scottish Water does not allow resomation (water cremation)."
S5W-30184 - Unanswered
23 June 2020
Balfour, Jeremy: "To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether resomation (water cremation) can be an environmentally-sustainable end-of-life option, and what analysis it has made of the scientific research carried out by Middlesex University, which informed the decision by Yorkshire Water to approve the practice."
S5W-30200 - Unanswered
23 June 2020
Balfour, Jeremy: "To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to use its powers under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 to permit the use of additional environmentally-sustainable end-of-life options."
S5W-29647 - Answered
04 June 2020
Balfour, Jeremy: "To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued regarding the racing of pigeons during the COVID-19 outbreak, and whether it has granted the Royal Pigeon Racing Association approval to resume racing."
See all of Jeremy Balfour's written questions submitted in Parliament