BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats

Speaking after he responded to the Lord Advocate's statement on diversion from prosecution, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"Scottish Liberal Democrat requested this statement back in June, and I was grateful to see her here today, despite the empty answer.

"The government has insisted for years that diversion has been an important response, but we've just discovered today that it only happened 57 times in 2017/18.

Responding to the Night Time Industries Association Scotland launching a legal challenge against the Scottish Government's Covid ID card policy, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

Responding to the First Minister's Covid update to parliament, Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"I am grateful that the First Minister has answered my call to exempt under 18s from Covid ID cards but with only ten days to go, there are still too many unanswered questions around the scheme.

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has today demanded the Scottish Government respond to research stating that no recommendations to improve practice are made in nine out of ten fatal accident inquiries into deaths in prison.

Research by Scottish Liberal Democrats in 2019 previously found decade long delays to the investigations into deaths outside prisons. The Scottish Government and the Lord Advocate promised resources and improvements in response but still decade long delays occur.

Responding to the new record waits in A&E departments across the country, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has said that the Health Secretary must now come to parliament "to answer for his job", and offer "seismic" changes.

During the week ending 12 September 2021, only 71.5% of those who attended A&E services were seen and processed within the target of four hours. This is significantly worse than the previous record low of 74.2%.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today used his speech to the federal Liberal Democrat conference to propose that the World Health Organisation send a team of drug mortality experts to Scotland to help get the public health disaster under control.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

"Scotland has the worst drug mortality in the developed world. It is nearly four times the rate of England and Wales.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton will today use his speech to the federal Liberal Democrat conference to set out a series of eye-catching proposals to tackle the climate emergency and boost sustainable transport.

In his speech Mr Cole-Hamilton will call for all new public sector vehicles to be electric, longer government-backed interest free loans to enable people to buy electric vehicles and a Transport Scotland scheme to enable everyone to try out an electric car for a weekend funded by the government.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton today pressed for the military to be deployed after he challenged the First Minister on the experience of Catherine Whyte who waited 15 hours last month for an ambulance, only to fall last week and endure a further 8 hour wait despite serious injury.

Commenting on the Government cut to Universal Credit ahead of this afternoon's debate in Parliament, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Work and Pensions Wendy Chamberlain said:

"The decision to rip support from millions of families across the country shows how completely out of touch the Prime Minister really is.

Shetland MSP and Scottish Liberal Democrat, Beatrice Wishart has chaired the first meeting of the Cross Party Group (CPG) on Mental Health where it was agreed to hold an inquiry into the impact of Covid-19 on Mental Health.

Ms Wishart is a co-convener of the group which is made up of stakeholders and politicians across a range of political persuasions represented in Holyrood. She shares the convenorship with MSPs Oliver Mundell (Conservative) and Emma Harper (SNP).