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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 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]

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]

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 November 2025

Maternity Services

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Will the cabinet secretary give way?"

Chamber meeting date: 4 November 2025

Ambulances (Waits)

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "The stacking of ambulances outside our A and E departments and the long, protracted waits inside A and E are not a result of a deficiency in emergency care…

Chamber meeting date: 4 November 2025

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

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

Chamber meeting date: 29 October 2025

Asylum Seekers (Accommodation)

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "The lack of notice to, or involvement of, elected representatives at all levels in Inverness is unforgivable…

Chamber meeting date: 9 October 2025

Renewable Energy (Community Benefit)

Alex Cole-Hamilton: "The First Minister cannot dodge this entirely. Some of it lies with his Government, too…

Votes

How Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted in Parliament

Find out how Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 44 Amendment 380

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Result 90 for, 28 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 44 Amendment 112

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Result 26 for, 91 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 44 Amendment 231

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Result 90 for, 28 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 44 Amendment 110

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Result 26 for, 91 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6 SP Bill 44 Amendment 109

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Result 26 for, 91 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Disagreed

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 reference: S6W-41735

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:6 November 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that every maternity ward properly records serious birth tears and the number of women who experience significant blood loss while giving birth."

Question reference: S6W-41730

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:6 November 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care last met the Royal College of Midwives; whether the organisation raised any concerns about staffing, and, if so, what action has been taken as a result."

Question reference: S6W-41736

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:6 November 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many new midwives and nurses have been recruited at maternity units in each year since 2020-21."

Question reference: S6W-41733

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:6 November 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints Healthcare Improvement Scotland has received about maternity care provided by maternity units in each year since 2020-21, broken down by maternity unit."

Question reference: S6W-41731

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:6 November 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many inspections Healthcare Improvement Scotland has made of maternity units in each year since 2020-21, broken down by (a) maternity unit and (b) whether these were announced or unannounced visits."

Question reference: S6W-41734

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:6 November 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 20 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it took to support NHS Lothian following the NHS board’s whistleblowing investigation into maternity care at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in December 2024."

Question reference: S6W-41453

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:23 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 6 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to hold to account corporations that reportedly use specific branding to justify a so-called pink tax, which targets women to pay higher prices for basic goods."

Question reference: S6W-41080

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:7 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are to increase funding for hospices in line with inflation, in light of reports that hospices in Edinburgh are reducing services due to a lack of funding increases."

Question reference: S6W-41407

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:20 October 2025

Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 3 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many companies have been excluded from participating in tender processes for public services contracts under public procurement regulations, and for what reasons each of those companies has been excluded."

Question reference: S6W-41621

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats

Date lodged:31 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 14 November 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how many people aged (a) 65 to 74, (b) 75 to 84, (c) 85 to 94 and (d) over 95 have waited at A&E for 12 hours or more in each month since January 2025."

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