Preceded by Lewis Macdonald Party Scottish National Party Role Member of Parliament | Name Kevin Stewart Majority 617 | |
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Preceded by Joe Fitzpatrick (Minister for Parliamentary Business) Political party Scottish National Party Committees Local Government and Regeneration Committee, Welfare Reform Committee Profiles | ||
Kevin Morrice Stewart is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who is the Minister for Local Government and Housing. He has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Aberdeen Central constituency since the 2011 election.
Political career
Stewart served as a local councillor for thirteen years and served as Depute Leader of Aberdeen City Council. As a councillor, he chaired the Finance and Resources Committee and the North East of Scotland's Regional Transport Partnership, NESTRANS. He also served as the chair of the 3Rs Board.
In the 2011 election he was elected to represent Aberdeen Central.
Stewart was the convener of the Scottish Parliament's Local Government and Regeneration Committee, where he oversaw scrutiny of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. Stewart was also a member of the Welfare Reform Committee and also sat on the Justice Sub-committee on Policing. He was also involved in the Cross-Party Groups on Oil & Gas, Scots language, Nuclear Disarmament, Malawi and Tibet. He also acted as Parliamentary Liaison Officer to Nicola Sturgeon from November 2014 until the dissolution of parliament in March 2016.
Stewart has lodged a number of motions in parliament in support of Votes at 16.
Stewart made a speech in favour of same sex marriage on 20 November 2013 at the Scottish Parliament Stage 1 Debate on the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill, in which he spoke about his experience of coming out as gay.
He stood again in 2016 and was re-elected with an increased majority. He was appointed as Minister for Local Government and Housing on 18 May 2016 when Nicola Sturgeon announced her government.