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Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

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Rachael Hamilton

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Constituency) 2017 - present day

Former MSP for South Scotland (Region) 2016 - 2017

About Rachael Hamilton

Contact details

Contact online

X (previously known as Twitter): @Rachael2Win

Facebook: Rachael's facebook

Contact at the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Phone: 0131 348 6970
Text relay calls welcome.

Contact at local office

7 Abbey Court
Kelso
TD5 7JA

Phone: 01573 224862
Text relay calls welcome.

Find out when the MSP's surgery times are on their website.

Committees

Rachael is a member of 1 committee

Cross-party groups

Rachael is a member of 15 cross-party groups

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions

Deputy Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Building Bridges with Israel

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Dyslexia

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on End of Life Choices

Co-Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Fisheries and Coastal Communities

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Gardening and Horticulture

Convener

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Independent Convenience Stores

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Outdoor Education

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Scotch Whisky

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Scottish Horseracing and Bloodstock Industries

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Social Enterprise

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on St Andrew's Day

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Tourism

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on USA

Member

Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Women's Health

Member

Parliamentary and Government Roles

Rachael does not have any parliamentary or government roles

Party Roles

Rachael has 1 party role

Deputy Party Leader

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Previous roles

Rachael has had 23 previous roles

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

01 February 2023 - 10 October 2024

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

Member

21 May 2021 - 28 September 2024

Party Spokesperson on Islands

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

21 May 2021 - 28 September 2024

Party Spokesperson on Rural Affairs

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

25 May 2022 - 29 June 2023

Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Member

17 June 2021 - 01 February 2023

Rural Affairs Islands and Natural Environment Committee

Member

08 September 2021 - 25 May 2022

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Substitute Member

11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Party Spokesperson on Social Security

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

11 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Party Spokesperson on Older People

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

25 February 2020 - 04 May 2021

Culture Tourism Europe and External Affairs Committee

Substitute Member

20 August 2020 - 04 May 2021

Social Security Committee

Member

25 February 2020 - 20 August 2020

Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee

Member

28 June 2017 - 11 August 2020

Party Spokesperson on Tourism

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Party Spokesperson on Rural Economy

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

18 February 2020 - 11 August 2020

Co-Chair

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

10 September 2019 - 25 February 2020

Environment Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

Member

28 June 2017 - 18 February 2020

Party Spokesperson on Culture

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

17 May 2018 - 10 September 2019

Public Petitions Committee

Member

21 June 2017 - 17 May 2018

Culture Tourism Europe and External Relations Committee

Member

26 May 2016 - 02 May 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Tourism

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

26 May 2016 - 02 May 2017

Deputy Party Spokesperson on Business

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

29 September 2016 - 02 May 2017

Culture Tourism Europe and External Relations Committee

Member

08 June 2016 - 17 November 2016

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

Member

08 June 2016 - 29 September 2016

European and External Relations Committee

Member

Register of interests

Rachael'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 Rachael Hamilton. The date of their initial statement was 14 May 2021.

Remuneration and related undertaking

I am a director of Borders Hotels Ltd, a hospitality firm of the Green, St Boswells, Melrose, Roxburghshire, TD6 0EW. I received £2,000 in the form of dividends in the year end accounts which I then paid directly into the company.

Gifts

No registrable interests.

Overseas visits

From 4 July to 8 July 2022 I visited Munich and Berlin, Germany, as part of a cross-Party delegation from the Scottish Parliament, meeting Parliamentarians, public officials and business representatives, as a guest of the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The costs of the visit, including travel, accommodation, meals and translation services amounted to £1300 and were paid by the Hanns Seidel Foundation (a political research foundation of Munich, Germany). [Registered 1 August 2022]

Controlled transactions

No registrable interests.

Heritable property

No registrable interests.

Interest in shares

I own 49% of the issued share capital in Borders Hotels Ltd. of the Green, St Boswells, Melrose, Roxburghshire, TD6 0EW. These are ordinary shares with a market value of £120,518. The company is a privately owned limited company therefore market value is difficult to determine. The value given is the net asset value based on the latest accounts filed with Companies House.

Voluntary

No registrable interests.

Recent Activity

What was said

What Rachael 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: 14 May 2025

Museums Capacity and Support Programme

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "On a point of order, Deputy Presiding Officer. I seek your advice. Emma Harper stated that my colleague Tess White’s question for the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture was anti-trans. That was not the case…

Chamber meeting date: 14 May 2025

Live Borders

2. Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by Scottish Borders Council on the future of Live Borders, regarding any impact on cultural services, community engagement and libraries across the Borders. (S6O-04641)"

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee meeting date: 14 May 2025

Housing (Scotland) Bill

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "Amendment 214 would amend the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 to require that a rent increase notice specified the reasons for the increase…

Chamber meeting date: 13 May 2025

NHS Grampian

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "A letter from Alan Gray, the Scottish Government director of health and social care finance, confirmed that brokerage would not be available for 2025-26 and that NHS boards would be expected to work towards a break-even trajectory in their three-year financial plans. If breaking even is not possible and no deficit is permitted, how much flexibility…

Chamber meeting date: 13 May 2025

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "Today is not about what is right or wrong; it is about choice and dignity. I thank Liam McArthur for expertly and respectfully navigating the bill to this point and speaking so engagingly to all colleagues across the chamber…

Votes

How Rachael Hamilton has voted in Parliament

Find out how Rachael Hamilton has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-17539

Scotland in Today’s Europe

Submitted by: Angus Robertson, Edinburgh Central, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Supported by: Jamie Hepburn
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 15, 2025

Result 70 for, 45 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17539.1

Scotland in Today’s Europe

Submitted by: Neil Bibby, West Scotland, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Supported by: Foysol Choudhury
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 15, 2025

Result 15 for, 96 against, 3 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17539.4

Scotland in Today’s Europe

Submitted by: Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, May 15, 2025

Result 27 for, 87 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP not voted

Vote Defeated

Motion ref. S6M-17525

Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry

Submitted by: Douglas Lumsden, North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Monday, May 12, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Result 61 for, 55 against, 0 abstained, 12 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motion ref. S6M-17525.3

Protecting Scotland’s Oil and Gas Industry

Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Supported by: Alasdair Allan
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Result 61 for, 56 against, 0 abstained, 11 did not vote

MSP voted against

Vote Passed

Motions

Questions

Questions Rachael 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-37406

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 8 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce information on the dangers of methanol poisoning to the school curriculum."

Answer expected on 22 May 2025

Question ref. S6O-04641

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 7 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by Scottish Borders Council on the future of Live Borders, regarding any impact on cultural services, community engagement and libraries across the Borders."

Taken in the Chamber on 14 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-37356

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the outcome of its review of the guidance on mothballing."

Answer expected on 20 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-37357

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with local authorities regarding its review of the guidance on mothballing, and whether it has advised any local authorities to pause any mothballing proposals until they receive updated guidance from it."

Answer expected on 20 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-37355

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 May 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its ongoing review of the guidance on mothballing."

Answer expected on 20 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36615

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 7 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) regarding battery energy storage system quotas in Scotland."

Answered by Alasdair Allan on 2 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36614

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 7 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its next Creating Hope Together suicide prevention action plan."

Answered by Maree Todd on 1 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36612

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 7 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35639 by Maree Todd on 27 March 2025, which NHS boards will be supported to provide suicide bereavement support."

Answered by Maree Todd on 1 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36613

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 7 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Borders regarding suicide bereavement support."

Answered by Maree Todd on 1 May 2025

Question ref. S6W-36328

Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 1 April 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce compensation for any individuals affected by a decline in (a) land and (b) property value due to the impact of large-scale energy projects on property prices."

Answered by Alasdair Allan on 29 April 2025

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