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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 12 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 MS

Member

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 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 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 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: 5 December 2024

Cabinet (Meetings)

Alex Cole-Hamilton: "Rural healthcare is a key priority for the Scottish Liberal Democrats. The Government listened to some of our demands by including in the draft budget yesterday provisions for a long-overdue replacement for the Belford hospital in Fort William…

Chamber meeting date: 4 December 2024

Budget 2025-26

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "After 17 years, this country is badly off course and, if we are honest, we know that the only thing that will truly bring about the change that Scotland needs is a change of Government…

Chamber meeting date: 3 December 2024

“NHS in Scotland 2024: Finance and performance”

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "We note from the report, and others like it, that our NHS staff are overwhelmed. They are on their knees and hospital activity levels have not recovered…

Chamber meeting date: 3 December 2024

Decision Time

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I am sorry, but my app froze. I would have voted yes."

Chamber meeting date: 3 December 2024

“NHS in Scotland 2024: Finance and performance”

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "We note from the report, and others like it, that our NHS staff are overwhelmed. They are on their knees and hospital activity levels have not recovered…

Votes

How Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted in Parliament

Find out how Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 35 Amendment 23

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Result 55 for, 59 against, 0 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 35 Amendment 1

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Result 89 for, 26 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-15683

Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

Submitted by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dunfermline, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, December 2, 2024

Supported by: Paul McLennan, Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Result 117 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 35 Amendment 5

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Result 27 for, 88 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 35 Amendment 21

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Result 51 for, 60 against, 7 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

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-31955

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for those in rural areas, who would like to access telehealth appointments but lack the digital skills to do so."

Answer expected on 18 December 2024

Question ref. S6W-31952

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has published a remote and rural workforce recruitment strategy for the NHS, in light of its commitment to do so by the end of 2024."

Answer expected on 18 December 2024

Question ref. S6W-31953

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government how many telehealth appointments have been conducted in each of the last four years."

Answer expected on 18 December 2024

Question ref. S6W-31954

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 December 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to develop training programmes to support digital literacy and telehealth usage."

Answer expected on 18 December 2024

Question ref. S6W-31462

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 19 November 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce Kitt Medical packs into state schools to treat extreme anaphylaxis in children with life-threatening allergies."

Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 December 2024

Question ref. S6W-31466

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 19 November 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what (a) care pathways and (b) treatments exist for patients with extreme and life-threatening allergies."

Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 December 2024

Question ref. S6W-31465

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 19 November 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce waiting times for allergy diagnosis and treatment."

Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 December 2024

Question ref. S6W-31464

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 19 November 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Scotland regarding the inclusion of allergy awareness in all medical training and professional development."

Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 December 2024

Question ref. S6W-31463

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 19 November 2024

"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to bring forward a national allergy strategy."

Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 December 2024

Question ref. S6F-03599

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 2 December 2024

"To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet."

Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2024

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