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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Alex Cole-Hamilton

Scottish Liberal Democrats

MSP for Edinburgh Western (Constituency) 2016 - present day

About Alex Cole-Hamilton

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @agcolehamilton

Facebook: Alex's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 5821
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

151 St John's Road
Corstorphine
Edinburgh
EH12 7SD

Phone: 0131 334 1814
Text relay calls welcome.

Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.

Committees

Alex is a member of 1 committee

Cross-party groups

Alex is a member of 11 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Bangladesh

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Challenging Racial and Religious Prejudice

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Chronic Pain

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Diabetes

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Europe

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Housing

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Improving Scotland’s Health

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Long Covid

Co-Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Tibet

Member

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

Alex does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Alex has 6 party roles

Party Leader

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Party Spokesperson on External Affairs

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Party Spokesperson on Health

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Party Spokesperson on Social Care

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Party Spokesperson on the Constitution

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Party Spokesperson on the Drugs Emergency

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Previous roles

Alex has had 8 previous roles

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

06 May 2021 - 27 August 2021

Party Spokesperson on Sport

Scottish Liberal Democrats

29 May 2016 - 04 May 2021

Party Spokesperson on Health

Scottish Liberal Democrats

08 November 2016 - 04 May 2021

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Substitute Member

06 February 2019 - 04 May 2021

Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints

Member

29 September 2016 - 04 May 2021

Equalities and Human Rights Committee

Deputy Convener

08 June 2016 - 04 May 2021

Health and Sport Committee

Member

16 June 2016 - 29 September 2016

Equal Opportunities Committee

Deputy Convener

08 June 2016 - 16 June 2016

Equal Opportunities Committee

Member

Register of interests

Alex'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.

Here is the register for Alex Cole-Hamilton. The date of their initial statement was 03 June 2021.

Remuneration and related undertaking

No registrable interests

Gifts

On 12 September 2023 I attended Hampden Park Stadium for the Scotland vs England friendly match as a guest of Channel 4 Television Corporation (a broadcasting company of 124 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2TX). The ticket and associated hospitality amounted to a total of £478. [Registered 4 October 2023]

On 9 August 2023, I was a guest of the RAF (25 Learmonth Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 1NZ) at a performance of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. The value of the hospitality received was £475. [Registered 28 September 2023]

On 26 August 2022, my wife and I were guests of the RAF at a performance of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Limited, 1-3 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QB). The estimated value of the hospitality received was £773. [Registered 20 September 2022]

Overseas visits

No registrable interests

Controlled transactions

No registrable interests

Heritable property

Until 29 August 2022, I sublet part of my own property in Edinburgh through online holiday property website Airbnb. This yielded a gross annual income of between £5,001 and £10,000. Between 29 August 2022 and 4 May 2023, I used this part of my property to accommodate a person under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, for which I received £350 a month as a “thank you” payment. Since the departure of my Ukrainian guest on 4 May 2023, I have relisted this part of my property on Airbnb and it will yield a gross annual income of between £5,0001 and £10,000 per annum. [Amended interest 22 September 2022, Amended interest 11 May 2023]

Interest in shares

No registrable interests

Voluntary

I was formerly a Convener and Director of Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights).

On 5 February 2022, I was a guest of Scottish Rugby to the Calcutta cup at Murrayfield, they provided hospitality and 2 match tickets to myself and my guest, followed by dinner afterwards. SRU have stated that the estimated value was £1,000 per person. I do not consider that this meets the prejudice test. [Registered 22 February 2022]

On 22 August 2024 a family member and I were guests of the Royal Navy for dinner on the Royal Yacht Britannia and then transported by coach to the Royal Military Tattoo. The combined value of the hospitality was £1520. [Registered 23 September 2024]

Recent Activity

What was said

What Alex Cole-Hamilton 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.

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Cancer Treatment (Waiting Times)

3. Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Presiding Officer, on behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, I thank you for your service to the Parliament as an MSP and, in particular, for your commitment to the integrity and values of this chamber. We wish you well…

Chamber meeting date: 26 June 2025

Young People’s Neurodivergence, Mental Health and Wellbeing

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "I welcome the minister to his new role. Improving neurodevelopmental care pathways is such a vital issue for the Scottish Liberal Democrats that we used our only debating day this year to bring a debate on it to the Parliament…

Chamber meeting date: 19 June 2025

Public Service Reform Strategy

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Yesterday, my colleague Willie Rennie told the chamber that public service reform should be boring. So far, the statement is doing a good job of keeping the promise of that directive…

Chamber meeting date: 19 June 2025

National Advisory Council on Women and Girls Equality Recommendations

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Liberal Democrats are very supportive of the work that the Government is outlining today. The cabinet secretary mentioned the strategy that is to be forthcoming…

Chamber meeting date: 17 June 2025

Health and Social Care

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Strategies and recovery plans such as these come and go, but the health and social care sector is still on its knees. Nowhere is that crisis more acute than in our remote, rural and island communities…

Votes

How Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted in Parliament

Find out how Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-18081

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Natalie Don-Innes, Renfrewshire North and West, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Supported by: Graeme Dey, Jenny Gilruth
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 87 for, 0 against, 28 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP not voted

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18075

Employment Rights Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Richard Lochhead, Moray, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 23, 2025

Supported by: Tom Arthur, Kate Forbes
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 88 for, 1 against, 27 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP not voted

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18076

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Kaukab Stewart, Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 23, 2025

Supported by: Shirley-Anne Somerville
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 86 for, 0 against, 28 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP not voted

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18080

Product Regulation and Metrology Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Richard Lochhead, Moray, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Result 80 for, 0 against, 34 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP not voted

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-18133

Suspension of Standing Orders

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Result 82 for, 29 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motions

Questions

Questions Alex Cole-Hamilton has asked

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

Question ref. S6W-37254

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 25 June 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct an immediate strategic audit of any potential implications for (a) public bodies, (b) infrastructure and (c) energy systems in Scotland of (i) Chinese investment in offshore wind and (b) the use of Hikvision cameras by public sector bodies."

Answered by Angus Robertson on 23 July 2025

Question ref. S6W-39439

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government when (a) the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and (b) its officials last met the (i) Royal College of Ophthalmologists and (ii) College of Optometrists."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

Question ref. S6W-39444

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with delivering a replacement Edinburgh Eye Pavilion, and by what date the replacement will be opened."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

Question ref. S6W-39438

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has met NHS boards regarding reported long waits for cataract surgery."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

Question ref. S6W-39494

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to enhance and refresh Scotland's Artificial Intelligence Strategy since its last update in 2022."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

Question ref. S6W-39453

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of cataract surgeries was delivered within the Treatment Time Guarantee in each of the last five years."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

Question ref. S6W-39446

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints have been made about long waits for cataract surgery."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

Question ref. S6W-39440

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how long patients should expect to wait for cataract surgery."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

Question ref. S6W-39455

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many ophthalmology trainees are currently in the NHS Scotland system, and how this compares with 2015."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

Question ref. S6W-39441

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 22 July 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have lost their sight while waiting for cataract surgery in each year since 2019."

Answer expected on 19 August 2025

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