Marilyn Livingstone

Biography

Address: 3 East Fergus Place Kirkcaldy KY1 1XT

Phone: 01592 564114

fax: 01592 561085

First elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

Previous Occupation: Councillor; Head of Business School, Fife College

Background: Involved in the Fife New Deal Steering group. Member of the National New Deal Steering Group for the Voluntary Sector. Experienced local councillor, responsible for vocational education and training strategy.

Marilyn was elected as the Labour and Co-operative member of the Scottish Parliament for the Kirkcaldy constituency in May 1999.

Marilyn was born in the village of Dysart, in the constituency, and continues to lives there with her husband and two daughters. She was educated locally and worked for 17 years at Fife College. During her 17 years at Fife College, Marilyn held the positions of Head of Programme, Youth Training Manger, Head of Administration & Consumer Studies and, prior to her election, Head of the College's Business School.

Marilyn's previous political experience was in local government. Marilyn served as a district councillor on Kirkcaldy District Council for 5 years and a local councillor on Fife Council for 4 years. During her time on Fife Council, Marilyn chaired the Council's Training Committee and the Fife Vocational Training Strategy Group. Additionally, she was a member of the Fife New Deal Steering Group and the Central Fife Training Partnership.

Within the Scottish Labour Party Marilyn has held a number of positions. She sat on the Scottish Labour Party's Standing Orders Committee for 11 years. On becoming an MSP Marilyn was elected the Chair of the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party, acting as an important link between Labour backbenches and Labour Ministers.

Within the Parliament Marilyn is a member of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee and has previously sat on the Equal Opportunities Committee. She is active on a number of cross-party groups and chairs the Cross-Party Group on Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse, which is working to develop a national strategy to provide support to survivors. Marilyn was a member of the Kerely Commission, which looked at the future of local government.

Marilyn's main parliamentary interests include economic development; further and higher education; lifelong learning; health; community care; social justice; housing; and equalities issues.

Marilyn is a member of Co-Operative Party, Unison and the Education Institute of Scotland.

Within the constituency Marilyn is active on a number of bodies and groups. She sits on the Fife Women's Network; Fife Domestic Abuse Forum; Fife Rape & Assault Centre management committee; a trustee of the Adam Smith Foundation; and is a board member of the Barony Housing Association.

In her spare time Marilyn enjoys walking, travelling and art. She is currently the Scottish President of the Disabled Ramblers Association.

Positions Held:
• Chair of the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Group
• Convenor of the Scottish Parliamentary Cross Party Group on Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
• Scottish President of the Disabled Ramblers Association

Committees:
• Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Committee

Cross-Party Groups:
• CPG on Cancer
• CPG on Carers
• CPG on Children & Young People
• CPG on Cycling
• CPG on Epilepsy
• CPG on ME
• CPG on Oil & Gas
• CPG on Strategic Rail Services
• CPG on Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse (Convenor)
• CPG on Women