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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.

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: 2 April 2025

Motion of Condolence

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Members of Christina’s family and Keith, there are days when this place sits in shadow—in times of national crisis or of political rancour and on days of grief such as today—but there are times when it absolutely shines…

Chamber meeting date: 2 April 2025

Spring Statement 2025 (Impact on Scotland)

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "I echo the remarks of the Conservative members at the start of the debate. Leading with a Government statement without intervention or questions and then going straight into a debate is a very odd way of going about the business of the Parliament…

Chamber meeting date: 2 April 2025

Business Motion

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Miles Briggs will have heard me asking the First Minister about the issue at First Minister’s question time the week before last, when I mentioned that Scottish Liberal Democrats had revealed research that showed that, incident for incident, we are matching the trajectory of last year’s terrible record-breaking figures on reports of violence in our…

Chamber meeting date: 27 March 2025

Fatal Accident Inquiries (Deaths in Custody)

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Family after family have been let down by the Crown Office. I pay tribute to those who are represented in the gallery today, and I thank them for their bravery and persistence…

Chamber meeting date: 26 March 2025

Decision Time

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect; I would have voted yes."

Votes

How Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted in Parliament

Find out how Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-17059.1

Business Programme

Submitted by: Miles Briggs, Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Result 31 for, 60 against, 26 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17059

Business Programme

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Result 88 for, 28 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16789

Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill

Submitted by: Liz Smith, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 27, 2025

Result 64 for, 1 against, 53 abstained, 10 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16960

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution

Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Result 90 for, 30 against, 0 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16942

Approval of SSI

Submitted by: Jamie Hepburn, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Result 70 for, 0 against, 50 abstained, 9 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

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-36778

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 9 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what support is being given to Police Scotland in its efforts to deal with sectarianism acts associated with football games, including the Rangers versus Celtic (Old Firm) derby."

Answered by Siobhian Brown on 16 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-36774

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 9 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what policies have been implemented to support young carers who face barriers in pursuing (a) further or higher education and (b) secure employment."

Answer expected on 7 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36777

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 9 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prohibit water companies from discharging raw sewage into rivers, lakes and coastal areas in Scotland."

Answer expected on 7 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36775

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 9 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it is addressing the reported national shortage of specialist additional support needs staff in mainstream schools."

Answer expected on 7 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36776

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 9 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increasing number of pupils with additional support needs in mainstream schools, what steps it is taking to ensure that schools are equipped with the necessary resources, training and staffing…

Answer expected on 7 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36773

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 9 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives there are to support young people who leave school with no or few SQA qualifications."

Answer expected on 7 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-35789

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 18 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what visits Healthcare Improvement Scotland made to the Skye House mental health unit between 2017 and 2024."

Answered by Maree Todd on 1 April 2025

Question ref. S6W-35644

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 14 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is implementing to provide timely support for carers and families in emergency situations, particularly where people are entitled to funding but face extended waiting times or financial hardship due to a lack of support or delayed assessments."

Answered by Maree Todd on 28 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35656

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 13 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the dates on which its ministers visited Skye House between 2017 and 2024, broken down by which ministers attended."

Answered by Maree Todd on 27 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35655

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 13 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government when the joint visits by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland to all adolescent in-patient units and the national child in-patient unit will begin, and how often these joint visits will be carried out."

Answered by Maree Todd on 27 March 2025

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