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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)
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Alex Cole-Hamilton

Scottish Liberal Democrats

MSP for Edinburgh North Western (Constituency)


Alex Cole-Hamilton is leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats

About Alex Cole-Hamilton

Contact details

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.

Career as MSP

Career as MSP

Scottish Liberal Democrats
MSP for Edinburgh North Western (Constituency)
07 May 2026 to present

Scottish Liberal Democrats
Former MSP for Edinburgh Western (Constituency)
05 May 2016 to 08 Apr 2026

Committees

Alex Cole-Hamilton is a member of 2 committees

Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Substitute Member

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Substitute Member

Cross-party groups

Alex Cole-Hamilton is a member of 3 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on India

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Long Covid

Co-Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Ukraine

Deputy Convener

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Alex Cole-Hamilton does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Alex Cole-Hamilton has 2 party roles

Party Leader

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Spokesperson for Equalities

Scottish Liberal Democrats

Previous roles

Alex Cole-Hamilton has had the following roles in Parliament

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

06 May 2021 to 08 April 2026

Party Spokesperson on Health

Scottish Liberal Democrats

20 August 2021 to 08 April 2026

Party Leader

Scottish Liberal Democrats

27 August 2021 to 08 April 2026

Party Spokesperson on the Constitution

Scottish Liberal Democrats

27 August 2021 to 08 April 2026

Party Spokesperson on External Affairs

Scottish Liberal Democrats

27 August 2021 to 08 April 2026

Party Spokesperson on Social Care

Scottish Liberal Democrats

05 February 2024 to 08 April 2026

Party Spokesperson on the Drugs Emergency

Scottish Liberal Democrats

06 October 2021 to 10 February 2026

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Substitute Member

06 May 2021 to 27 August 2021

Party Spokesperson on Sport

Scottish Liberal Democrats

29 May 2016 to 04 May 2021

Party Spokesperson on Health

Scottish Liberal Democrats

29 September 2016 to 04 May 2021

Equalities and Human Rights Committee

Deputy Convener

08 November 2016 to 04 May 2021

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Substitute Member

06 February 2019 to 04 May 2021

Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints

Member

08 June 2016 to 04 May 2021

Health and Sport Committee

Member

16 June 2016 to 29 September 2016

Equal Opportunities Committee

Deputy Convener

08 June 2016 to 16 June 2016

Equal Opportunities Committee

Member

Register of interests

Alex Cole-Hamilton'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 02 June 2026.

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.

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

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.

Overseas visits

From 17 October 2026 to 26 October 2026 I visited Taiwan as part of a delegation for the purpose of establishing greater economic understanding and co-operation. I visited with other Scottish and Northern Irish parliamentarians. The cost of return air travel was NT $460000 (£10,419.11 GBP on 10/11/26), rail fare was NT $4,020 (£91.19), total cost of accomodation was NT $60000 (£1,358.84 on 10/11/26) and hospitality was NT $78,000 (£1,760.35). All costs were met by the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (No. 2, Ketagalan Boulevard, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan), an organisation which aims to strengthen overseas economic and trading relationships. [registered on 10 November 2026]

Controlled transactions

No registrable interests.

Heritable property

Until 29 August 2022, I sublet part of my own property in Edinburgh through online holiday 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 £10,001 and £15,000 per annum.

Interest in shares

No registrable interests.

Voluntary

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

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 £1,520.

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

Recent Activity

Official Report

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.

Remembrance Day 2026

Chamber meeting date: 5 November 2026

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD): "Every year for 100 years and more, farmers ploughing fields around places such as Verdun, Passchendaele and Mons unearth shrapnel, barbed wire and other material of war…

Firefighters (Vacancies)

Chamber meeting date: 5 November 2026

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD): "On this bonfire night, will the First Minister tell us how many vacancies are there for retained on-call firefighters in Scotland?"

Public Procurement (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises)

Chamber meeting date: 5 November 2026

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD): "Every year, for 100 years and more, farmers ploughing fields around places such as Verdun, Passchendaele and Mons unearth shrapnel, barbed wire and other material of war…

Firefighters (Vacancies)

Chamber meeting date: 5 November 2026

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD): "On this bonfire night, will the First Minister tell us how many vacancies are there for retained on-call firefighters in Scotland?"

Remembrance Sunday

Chamber meeting date: 5 November 2026

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD): "Every year, for 100 years and more, farmers ploughing fields around places such as Verdun, Passchendaele and Mons unearth shrapnel, barbed wire and other material of war…

Votes

How Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted in Parliament

Find out how Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted recently.

The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland

Motion ref. S7M-01962

Submitted by: Màiri McAllan, Clydesdale, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, November 9, 2026

Supported by: Siobhian Brown, Alyn Smith
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Result 70 for, 48 against, 0 abstained, 0 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland

Motion ref. S7M-01962.2

Submitted by: David Green, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats. Date lodged: Monday, November 9, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Result 9 for, 109 against, 0 abstained, 0 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland

Motion ref. S7M-01962.5

Submitted by: Murdo Fraser, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, November 9, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Result 48 for, 69 against, 0 abstained, 0 did not vote

MSP voted for

Disagreed

The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland

Motion ref. S7M-01962.4

Submitted by: Q Manivannan, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Monday, November 9, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Result 78 for, 39 against, 0 abstained, 0 did not vote

MSP voted for

Agreed

The BBC and Public Service Broadcasting in Scotland

Motion ref. S7M-01962.3

Submitted by: Victor Currie, Highlands and Islands, Reform UK . Date lodged: Monday, November 9, 2026

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Result 14 for, 105 against, 0 abstained, 0 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: S7W-04976

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

Date lodged: 10 November 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02816 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026, which senior official is responsible for coordinating partnerships with philanthropic foundations and individual philanthropists across its directorates."

Question reference: S7W-04979

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

Date lodged: 10 November 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02817 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026, whether it will convene a roundtable as proposed in the question, and, if so, when."

Question reference: S7W-04981

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

Date lodged: 10 November 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02813 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026, whether it will develop practical guidance for officials on establishing and managing partnerships with philanthropic foundations and individual philanthropists."

Question reference: S7W-04980

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

Date lodged: 10 November 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02813 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026, what assessment it has made of the Australian Government’s Guide to Government Partnership with Philanthropy, which was published in May 2026 and subsequently drawn to the Cabinet Secretary’s attention in…

Question reference: S7W-04977

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

Date lodged: 10 November 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02816 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026, what published point of contact philanthropic foundations and individual philanthropists should use to propose partnerships with it, including proposals involving more than one directorate."

Question reference: S7W-04978

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

Date lodged: 10 November 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02817 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026, what process and timetable it has established for philanthropic foundations and individual philanthropists to contribute to the development of the Scottish Prevention Investment Framework."

Question reference: S7W-04982

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

Date lodged: 10 November 2026

Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02814 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2026, what consideration it has given to developing a Scottish philanthropy strategy and, if it has no plans to do so, what the reasons are."

Question reference: S7F-00075

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

Date lodged: 10 November 2026

Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2026

"Question to be taken in Chamber."

Question reference: S7W-04526

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

Date lodged: 27 October 2026

Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the eligibility criteria for mobility support for people who become disabled after reaching state pension age, and what its position is on whether the absence of a mobility component within Pension Age Disability Payment could result in people who develop severe mobility impairments in later…

Question reference: S7W-04525

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

Date lodged: 27 October 2026

Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 November 2026

"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of secure mobile phone pouches in schools, including the extent to which pupils are able to bypass or open them without authorisation."