Skip to main content

Tell us your views

Help us do xxx by completing this short survey!

Link to survey goes here

Loading…

Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

Image description

Paul O'Kane

Scottish Labour

MSP for West Scotland (Region) 2021 - present day

About Paul O'Kane

Contact details

Contact online

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 5942
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

Phone: 0141 887 5111
Text relay calls welcome.

Committees

Paul is a member of 1 committee

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Member

Cross-party groups

Paul is a member of 14 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Building Bridges with Israel

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Co-Operatives

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Diabetes

Co-Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Dyslexia

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on India

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Learning Disability

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on LGBTI+

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Long Covid

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Malawi

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Poverty

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Science and Technology

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Social Work

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Ukraine

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Volunteering

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Paul does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Paul has 2 party roles

Party Spokesperson on Education

Scottish Labour

Party Spokesperson on Equalities

Scottish Labour

Previous roles

Paul has had the following roles in Parliament

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

03 December 2025 - 21 January 2026

Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Member

10 April 2023 - 05 December 2025

Party Spokesperson on Social Justice

Scottish Labour

10 April 2023 - 05 December 2025

Party Spokesperson on Social Security

Scottish Labour

25 April 2023 - 02 September 2025

Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Member

25 April 2023 - 02 September 2025

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Member

22 June 2021 - 25 April 2023

Health Social Care and Sport Committee

Deputy Convener

22 September 2021 - 25 April 2023

Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Substitute Member

31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Public Health

Scottish Labour

31 May 2021 - 10 April 2023

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Social Care

Scottish Labour

17 June 2021 - 22 June 2021

Health Social Care and Sport 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.

Recent Activity

What was said

What Paul O'Kane 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.

Scottish Commission on Social Security

Social Justice and Social Security Committee meeting date: 26 June 2025

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "Good morning. My questions will focus on the content of the annual report in terms of the funding and finance of SCoSS. From the 2023-24 annual report, we saw that expenditure would exceed the budget in 2024-25…

Youth Violence Summit

Chamber meeting date: 25 June 2025

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "Cashback for communities does, indeed, do great work and, clearly, youth work is part of the response…

Historical Policies Affecting Gypsy Traveller Communities

Chamber meeting date: 25 June 2025

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "I thank the First Minister for advance sight of his statement, and I welcome the formal apology that he has made to Scotland’s Gypsy and Traveller communities…

Children (Scotland) Act 2020

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

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "Good morning. Given the policy criticisms of the lack of regulation of child welfare reporters, implementation of the regulatory regime that is proposed for them—how that will be carried out—is important…

Youth Violence

Chamber meeting date: 19 June 2025

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab): "I have, like other colleagues who have raised this issue, seen these kinds of incidents in my region. As the cabinet secretary knows, we had a recent incident of damage and vandalism at the united services club in Barrhead…

Votes

How Paul O'Kane has voted in Parliament

Find out how Paul O'Kane 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 voted for

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 not voted

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 not voted

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 not voted

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 not voted

Agreed

Motions

Motions made by Paul O'Kane in Parliament

Find out what motions Paul O'Kane has submitted recently.

Questions

Questions Paul O'Kane has asked

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

Question reference: S6W-42962

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 12 January 2026

Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 26 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that Police Scotland has the capacity, training and resources to respond effectively to explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) incidents in Scotland, including improving coordination with UK military EOD units to reduce response times and bolster public safety."

Question reference: S6O-05388

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 14 January 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what cross-government action it is taking to support island connectivity in the West Scotland region."

Question reference: S6T-02831

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 12 January 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of a postcode lottery for classroom supplies and that some schools have only 93p per child per week for basic classroom supplies."

Question reference: S6W-42780

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 19 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 7 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what further consideration it has given to a fireworks licensing scheme or restrictions on the days on which fireworks can be supplied and used."

Question reference: S6W-42781

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 19 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 January 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what further action it is taking to address the problematic use of fireworks."

Question reference: S6W-42280

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 2 December 2025

Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 December 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government by what date its targeted lung cancer screening programme will commence in 2027; where this will take place; how much will be allocated to it, and when nationwide coverage will be achieved."

Question reference: S6W-40681

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 19 September 2025

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 30 September 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what the current average waiting time is to see a cardiologist; how many people there currently are in total on NHS waiting lists for cardiology appointments, and what the (a) headcount and (b) FTE number of cardiologists currently is within the NHS."

Question reference: S6W-39311

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 10 July 2025

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is given to dermatology services in the development of NHS workforce planning."

Question reference: S6W-39313

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 10 July 2025

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase capacity across NHS dermatology services."

Question reference: S6W-39310

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour

Date lodged: 10 July 2025

Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether staffing levels across NHS dermatology services are sufficient."