MSP for Edinburgh North Western (Constituency)
Email: [email protected]
Website: edinburghlibdems.org
Bluesky: @alex.scotlibdems.org.uk
Facebook: Alex Cole-Hamilton'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.
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
Substitute Member
Substitute Member
Deputy Convener
Co-Convener
Deputy Convener
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Scottish Liberal Democrats
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
06 May 2021 to 08 April 2026
Scottish Liberal Democrats
20 August 2021 to 08 April 2026
Scottish Liberal Democrats
27 August 2021 to 08 April 2026
Scottish Liberal Democrats
27 August 2021 to 08 April 2026
Scottish Liberal Democrats
27 August 2021 to 08 April 2026
Scottish Liberal Democrats
05 February 2024 to 08 April 2026
Scottish Liberal Democrats
06 October 2021 to 10 February 2026
Substitute Member
06 May 2021 to 27 August 2021
Scottish Liberal Democrats
29 May 2016 to 04 May 2021
Scottish Liberal Democrats
29 September 2016 to 04 May 2021
Deputy Convener
08 November 2016 to 04 May 2021
Substitute Member
06 February 2019 to 04 May 2021
Member
08 June 2016 to 04 May 2021
Member
16 June 2016 to 29 September 2016
Deputy Convener
08 June 2016 to 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 02 June 2026.
No registrable interests.
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.
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]
No registrable interests.
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.
No registrable interests.
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).
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: 12 November 2026
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD): "In 2008, not long after the Scottish National Party came to power, 62 people waited more than 12 hours in accident and emergency across Scotland. How many people waited more than 12 hours this summer?"
Chamber meeting date: 12 November 2026
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD): "In 2008, not long after the Scottish National Party came to power, 62 people waited more than 12 hours in accident and emergency across Scotland. How many people waited more than 12 hours this summer?"
Chamber meeting date: 12 November 2026
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh North Western) (LD): "I do not disagree at all that the espionage threat to this country in particular is far greater than at any time many of us have known…
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…
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?"
Read all of Alex Cole-Hamilton's contributions in the Debating Chamber
Find out how Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted recently.
Motion ref. S7M-01988
Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Supported by: Stephen Gethins, John Swinney
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, November 12, 2026
Result 73 for, 38 against, 1 abstained, 0 did not vote
MSP voted for
Agreed
Motion ref. S7M-01963
Submitted by: Katherine Sangster, Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, November 9, 2026
Supported by: Jenny Young
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Result 69 for, 48 against, 0 abstained, 0 did not vote
MSP voted against
Agreed
Motion ref. S7M-01963.1
Submitted by: Laura Moodie, South Scotland, Scottish Green Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Result 95 for, 22 against, 0 abstained, 0 did not vote
MSP voted for
Agreed
Motion ref. S7M-01963.3
Submitted by: Màiri McAllan, Clydesdale, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Supported by: Siobhian Brown, Alyn Smith
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Result 67 for, 49 against, 0 abstained, 0 did not vote
MSP voted against
Agreed
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
Find out what motions Alex Cole-Hamilton has submitted recently.
Motion ref. S7M-01972
Motion ref. S7M-01578
These are the questions that this MSP has asked in Parliament. It also includes any answer to those questions.
Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 2 November 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 12 November 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on proposals for additional equality protections for (a) older people, (b) LGBTI people, and (c) care experienced people in the proposed Human Rights Bill."
Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 2 November 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 11 November 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing additional equality protections for people in rural and island communities in the proposed Human Rights Bill."
Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 2 November 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 11 November 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has undertaken with the UK Government regarding the Human Rights Bill, including around issues related to section 28(7) of the Scotland Act."
Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 2 November 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 11 November 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government when it intends to lay commencement regulations to bring section 8 of the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2026 into force."
Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 2 November 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 11 November 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the Human Rights Bill, including its scope and planned approach to incorporating the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), International…
Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: 3 November 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 11 November 2026
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of reports that ScotRail has sold or issued seat reservations for rail services on which reserved seating is not available or unlikely to be available, and whether it will ask ScotRail to review its ticketing and reservation systems to address this issue and ensure compliance with UK…
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."
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."
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."
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…
See all of Alex Cole-Hamilton's questions submitted in Parliament