1. Joseph Martin FitzPatrick was born on 1 April 1967 and is a Scottish politician who most recently served as Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning from March 2023 to May 2024.
25 Facts About Joe FitzPatrick
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Joe FitzPatrick served as Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing from 2018 to until his resignation in 2020.
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Joe FitzPatrick served as Minister for Parliamentary Business from 2012 to 2018.
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Joseph Martin Joe FitzPatrick was born on 1 April 1967 in Dundee, Scotland.
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Joe FitzPatrick attended Whitfield Primary School and Whitfield High School.
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Joe FitzPatrick studied Forestry at Inverness College and worked for the Forestry Commission in Angus and Tillhill Forestry in ArgyIl.
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Joe FitzPatrick was elected President of Inverness College Students Association and was re-elected as the College's first Sabbatical President.
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Joe FitzPatrick was elected to the National Executive of NUS in 1990 and was given specific responsibility for LGBT issues.
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Joe FitzPatrick was the Parliamentary Liaison Officer to John Swinney MSP.
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In 2007, Joe FitzPatrick was elected to the SNP's National Executive Committee.
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Joe FitzPatrick went on to be appointed Convener of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee.
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Joe FitzPatrick was Co-convener of the Cross Party Group on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and Convener of the Cross Party Group on Computer Games Technology.
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In 2012, Joe FitzPatrick introduced a Members' Bill to tackle parking on pavements, double parking and parking alongside kerbs which have been lowered for wheelchair users.
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Joe FitzPatrick was appointed Minister for Parliamentary Business in September 2012.
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Joe FitzPatrick introduced the Scottish Elections Bill in 2015.
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In June 2018, Joe FitzPatrick was appointed Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing.
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Joe FitzPatrick introduced The Human Tissue Bill to Parliament on 8 June 2018.
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In December 2020, Joe FitzPatrick welcomed a review which made it easier for gay and bisexual men to donate blood in Scotland.
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Two days before Joe FitzPatrick left office as Public Health Minister he was challenged to attend an unsanctioned mobile drug consumption facility which was parked outside Holyrood by activist Peter Krykant.
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Joe FitzPatrick supported calls for a supervised overdose prevention facility pilot in Scotland.
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In June 2022, Joe FitzPatrick met with Krykant and charity Cranstoun in the Scottish Parliament to discuss proposals for an overdose prevention centre in Dundee.
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Joe FitzPatrick was appointed Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.
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Joe FitzPatrick was appointed Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning in March 2023 by First Minister Humza Yousaf.
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In May 2024, Joe FitzPatrick stood down from Government as John Swinney was elected First Minister.
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On 28 January 2025, Joe FitzPatrick announced he would stand down at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.