Jamie Hepburn

Jamie Hepburn
MSP
Minister for Employability and Training
In office
18 May 2016 – Incumbent
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health
In office
21 November 2014 – 18 May 2016
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
Deputy Convener of the
Scottish Parliament
Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee
In office
15 June 2011 – 21 November 2014
Preceded by Cathy Peattie (as Deputy Convener of the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
Assumed office
5 May 2011
Preceded by Cathie Craigie
Majority 3,459 (13.7%)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Central Scotland
In office
3 May 2007 – 22 March 2011
Personal details
Born James Douglas Hepburn
(1979-05-21) 21 May 1979
Glasgow
Nationality Scottish
Political party Scottish National Party
Spouse(s) Julie Hepburn
Residence Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire
Alma mater University of Glasgow
Website http://www.jamiehepburn.net

James Douglas "Jamie" Hepburn (born 21 May 1979, Glasgow) is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who is the Minister for Employability and Training since May 2016. He had previously been the Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health from 2014 to 2016.

He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) since 2007, firstly as an MSP for the Central Scotland region from 2007 to 2011, then as the MSP for the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency since 2011.

Early life

Educated at Hyndland Secondary School and the University of Glasgow, Hepburn graduated with a Politics and History degree. Whilst a student, Hepburn ran the unsuccessful campaign for Alasdair Gray to become the Rector of the University of Glasgow and was the Senior Vice-President at the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council, a post once held by his SNP Parliamentary colleague Alasdair Allan.

Career

Before his election, Hepburn was convener of the Federation of Student Nationalists and the Young Scots for Independence. He had been the SNP candidate for the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East constituency at the 2005 general election. He has worked for Alex Neil, a fellow SNP MSP.

Hepburn was elected during the 2007 election for the Central Scotland region, having also contested the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth seat at that election, finishing second behind Cathie Craigie. In this election he was one of only two candidates to win more than 40% in the constituency contested and not win the seat, the other being Alasdair Morrison in the Western Isles. He was the second youngest elected member of the Scottish Parliament for the 2007–2011 session after his SNP colleague Aileen Campbell.

Hepburn was a member of the Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs and Environment Committee and a substitute member of the Equal Opportunities Committee until 26 June 2008 when he became a member of the European and External Relations Committee, and a substitute to the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, before being switched to a substitute member of the Public Petitions Committee. He subsequently was moved to the Public Audit and Equal Opportunities Committees towards the latter part of the third session of the Scottish Parliament. He is now the Deputy Convener of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee. Hepburn also served as the convener of the Cross Party Group on Human Rights and Civil Liberties in the Scottish Parliament's third session.

On 21 November 2014 it was announced that he would be Minister for Sport and Health Improvement.[1] On 18 May he was moved to the post of Minister for Employability and Training.

It was Hepburn's written question which revealed that projects in Scotland funded by the Private Finance Initiative will cost the taxpayer some £22.3 billion over a 40-year period.

He was one of six SNP MSPs to attend the "Big Blockade" event at the Faslane naval base organised by Faslane 365 on 1 October 2007[2] and has been active in calling for greater transparency about allegations that American government agencies facilitated extraordinary rendition flights through Scottish airports.[3][4] He has also called for any Scottish airport that is being sold by BAA Limited to be brought under public control.[5]

Hepburn has signed up to the People's Charter, a campaigning document prepared by trade unionists as an alternative to neoliberalism [6] and has drawn criticism from some elements of the Scottish media for having tabled a motion on Venezuela.[7]

He was placed third on the SNP list for Central Scotland for the 2011 Scottish Parliament election.[8]

His wife Julie was the SNP candidate for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East at the 2010 general election.

Hepburn is a supporter of Partick Thistle Football Club.

References

  1. ↑ "Nicola Sturgeon announces new Scottish cabinet". BBC News. BBC. 21 November 2014.
  2. ↑ UK Indymedia - hundreds descend on faslane for the big blockade
  3. ↑ "Assurances sought over rendition". BBC News. 24 February 2008.
  4. ↑ Chief quizzed on rendition flights - Carrick Today
  5. ↑ Manchester set to make 700m bid for Glasgow Airport - The Herald
  6. ↑
  7. ↑
  8. ↑
Scottish Parliament
Preceded by
Cathie Craigie		 Member of Scottish Parliament for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

2011 – present

 Incumbent
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