Scottish Liberal Democrats
MSP for Edinburgh Western (Constituency) 2016 - present day
Email: [email protected]
Website: edinburghlibdems.org
X (previously known as Twitter): @agcolehamilton
Facebook: Alex's facebook
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 5821
Text relay calls welcome.
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.
Substitute Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Co-Convener
Member
Deputy Convener
Member
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
06 May 2021 - 27 August 2021
Scottish Liberal Democrats
29 May 2016 - 04 May 2021
Scottish Liberal Democrats
08 November 2016 - 04 May 2021
Substitute Member
06 February 2019 - 04 May 2021
Member
29 September 2016 - 04 May 2021
Deputy Convener
08 June 2016 - 04 May 2021
Member
16 June 2016 - 29 September 2016
Deputy Convener
08 June 2016 - 16 June 2016
Member
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.
No registrable interests
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]
No registrable interests
No registrable interests
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]
No registrable interests
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]
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: 5 June 2025
3. Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "There are sanitary towels and wet wipes on the beach at North Berwick. There is raw sewage in Gala. There is a beach covered in thick brown discharge in Dumfries and Galloway. The River Almond is making swimmers sick…
Chamber meeting date: 29 May 2025
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Many people will, understandably, be concerned by the cabinet secretary’s statement and the escalation at NHS Grampian, and none more so than pregnant mothers, people who are undergoing cancer care and surgical patients from Shetland and Orkney, all of whom rely on services at NHS Grampian. Beatrice Wishart asked the cabinet secretary about that…
Chamber meeting date: 29 May 2025
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Sarah Boyack was right to remind us that, when done properly, national parks can provide jobs, be a boost to local economies and help with biodiversity in our fight against climate change…
Chamber meeting date: 29 May 2025
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Members will recall that I was the first in the chamber to raise the problem with RAAC, some two years ago at First Minister’s question time. Almost every month since that occasion, I have raised the issue…
Chamber meeting date: 28 May 2025
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "It gives me great pleasure to propose the motion that is before the Parliament. This is the kind of debate that I got into politics to lead, and I am sure that I am not alone in that…
See all of Alex Cole-Hamilton's contributions in the chamber
Find out how Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted recently.
Submitted by: Kate Forbes, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, June 2, 2025
Supported by: Tom Arthur, Richard Lochhead
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Result 84 for, 28 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP not voted
Vote Passed
Submitted by: Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Result 55 for, 57 against, 0 abstained, 16 did not vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Result 28 for, 83 against, 0 abstained, 17 did not vote
MSP not voted
Vote Defeated
Submitted by: Dr Sandesh Gulhane, Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Result 49 for, 66 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Submitted by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Thursday, May 22, 2025
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Result 96 for, 18 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Find out what motions Alex Cole-Hamilton has submitted recently.
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 5 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether SEPA will begin to proactively publish overflow monitoring data from sewerage assets that are managed under Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts."
Answer expected on 19 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 5 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government how it currently oversees the work of non-departmental public bodies, also known as quangos; how they are held accountable for their decision-making, and whether it plans to review any such arrangements."
Answer expected on 19 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 5 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to replace the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994, in light of the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, which came into force in the EU in January 2025, and, if so, within what timescale it plans to do so."
Answer expected on 19 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 5 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government how many new event duration monitors have been fitted to sewage overflows in 2025, and how many monitors in total have been installed as a part of the Improving Urban Waters Route Map."
Answer expected on 19 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 5 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Helensburgh Wastewater Treatment Works recording 1,722 spills in 2024 meets the requirement for sewage spills to only happen in exceptional circumstances, in light of the European Court of Justice and Environmental Standards Scotland reportedly emphasising this requirement."
Answer expected on 19 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 5 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide financial support to families who wish to move a family member's ashes, in light of reports that this can cost between £5,000 and £10,000, or more if there is an objection to planning permission."
Answer expected on 19 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 5 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish up-to-date, clear and specific guidance about the exceptional circumstances in which it is permissible for storm overflows to spill, in light of Environmental Standards Scotland reportedly stating that the current guidance limits effective implementation and application of the law."
Answer expected on 19 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to educate students about cardiovascular health by adding more in-depth content to the curriculum in personal and social education lessons."
Answer expected on 18 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are to incentivise students to study STEM subjects at (a) National 5, (b) Higher, (c) Advanced Higher and (d) university level."
Answer expected on 18 June 2025
Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 June 2025
"To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Public Health Scotland stopped providing data in its Cancelled planned operations release that illustrated the difference in current levels of operation activity and operation activity pre-COVID-19 pandemic."
Answer expected on 18 June 2025
See all of Alex Cole-Hamilton's questions submitted in Parliament