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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: 13 March 2025

Health and Social Care Innovation

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Forgive me, Presiding Officer. I missed the time that you said I had."

Chamber meeting date: 13 March 2025

Scottish Hospitals Inquiry (Interim Report)

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Lord Brodie’s interim report provides us with an important opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned. I am pleased that we now have a clearer understanding of what happened at the Royal hospital for children and young people…

Chamber meeting date: 12 March 2025

Single-sex Spaces (Public Sector)

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Does the cabinet secretary recognise that the Equality Act 2010 came from a recognition that vast swathes of minorities in our communities were facing violations of their human rights and regular abuse, and that it was a necessary act that has functioned well?"

Chamber meeting date: 6 March 2025

Covid-19 Day of Reflection

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "My first memory of the threat that was posed to our country by Covid-19 is of the images that were broadcast on the evening news of primary school children passing around a basketball that was covered in chalk dust so that they could learn about viral transmission. Within a matter of days, we had gone from those cheerful and charming images to the…

Chamber meeting date: 6 March 2025

Reducing Drug Harm and Deaths in Scotland: People’s Panel Report

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD): "Scotland is blessed with some of the hardest-working and most passionate drugs workers in the world, and I welcome the cabinet secretary’s commitment to supporting them through knowledge and training…

Votes

How Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted in Parliament

Find out how Alex Cole-Hamilton has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-16777.2

Adoption of Innovation in Health and Social Care

Submitted by: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, March 13, 2025

Result 47 for, 63 against, 0 abstained, 19 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-16755

Protecting Single-sex Spaces in the Public Sector

Submitted by: Russell Findlay, West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 10, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Result 61 for, 31 against, 20 abstained, 17 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16755.3

Protecting Single-sex Spaces in the Public Sector

Submitted by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dunfermline, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Supported by: Paul McLennan, Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Result 57 for, 50 against, 7 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP voted for

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16749

Appointment of Chair to Environmental Standards Scotland

Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Monday, March 10, 2025

Supported by: Alasdair Allan
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Result 83 for, 1 against, 22 abstained, 23 did not vote

MSP not voted

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-16750.4

Supporting Households with Cost of Living Pressures and Rising Energy Bills

Submitted by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Monday, March 10, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Result 19 for, 88 against, 0 abstained, 22 did not vote

MSP not voted

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-35704

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

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to reform the process for exhumation applications for ashes, in light of reports that the new system has moved away from independent crematory management, which was inexpensive, and now requires families to go through solicitors, which can reportedly cost more that £5,000."

Answer expected on 28 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35643

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

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address any pressures on GP surgeries caused by the reported (a) decline in the number of fully qualified GPs, (b) rising patient demand, (c) challenges with practice infrastructure and (d) financial pressures faced by GP partners, and what plans are in place to ensure a sustainable,…

Answer expected on 28 March 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."

Answer expected on 28 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35645

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

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce 15 hours of funded childcare per week for children aged nine months to three years, similar to that in England, and, if so, what the timescale will be."

Answer expected on 28 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."

Answer expected on 27 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."

Answer expected on 27 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35626

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 12 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to regulate canine fertility clinics."

Answer expected on 26 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35627

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 12 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken since the publication of its paper, Licensing of activities involving animals: consultation response analysis, on 16 February 2024."

Answer expected on 26 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35350

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 4 March 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S6W-34287 by Neil Gray on 27 January 2025, on what date it will publish data showing whether the targets were met by March 2026 for (a) 95% of radiology referrals to be seen within six weeks, (b) no one waiting longer than a year for treatment and (c) the delivery of over 150,000 extra…

Answered by Neil Gray on 12 March 2025

Question ref. S6W-35332

Asked by: Cole-Hamilton, Alex, Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats, Date Lodged: 27 February 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider awarding financial compensation to any staff covered by the Agenda for Change who have been affected by the reported delay to the implementation of the reduced 36-hour working week."

Answered by Neil Gray on 11 March 2025

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