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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: 9 October 2025

Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "Will the member take an intervention?"

Chamber meeting date: 8 October 2025

Colleges and Apprenticeships

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "The minister mentioned that he gained an HNC in business studies and that he had an opportunity. Such opportunities drive the economy; his opportunity found him a job…

Chamber meeting date: 8 October 2025

Illegal Immigration

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "You cannot say that."

Chamber meeting date: 7 October 2025

Early Learning and Childcare Provision

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "I apologise for being a couple of seconds late. I thank Jamie Greene for bringing today’s members’ business debate on early learning and childcare provision…

Chamber meeting date: 2 October 2025

Dog Theft (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "What strange conversations we have when we are discussing a bill involving furry creatures—Jamie Halcro Johnston has just shown me a picture of his black cat, Squeaky Biscuit. My brother’s dog is a rescue dog from Ukraine…

Votes

How Rachael Hamilton has voted in Parliament

Find out how Rachael Hamilton has voted recently.

Motion ref. S6M-19275

Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dunfermline, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Supported by: Kaukab Stewart
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 9, 2025

Result 81 for, 10 against, 23 abstained, 15 did not vote

MSP not voted

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-19276

Planning and Infrastructure Bill - UK Legislation

Submitted by: Gillian Martin, Aberdeenshire East, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Supported by: Graeme Dey
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 9, 2025

Result 87 for, 23 against, 1 abstained, 18 did not vote

MSP not voted

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-19128

Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill

Submitted by: Douglas Ross, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, October 9, 2025

Result 52 for, 63 against, 0 abstained, 14 did not vote

MSP not voted

Disagreed

Motion ref. S6M-19269

Approval of SSI

Submitted by: Graeme Dey, Angus South, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Result 51 for, 25 against, 33 abstained, 20 did not vote

MSP voted against

Agreed

Motion ref. S6M-19268

Suspension of Standing Orders

Submitted by: Graeme Dey, Angus South, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Result 85 for, 0 against, 26 abstained, 18 did not vote

MSP abstained

Agreed

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 reference: S6W-40965

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Treatment Time Guarantee can be meaningfully enforced in cases where NHS boards are unable to measure full patient pathways, and what assessment it has made of compliance under such circumstances."

Question reference: S6W-40985

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the role of NatureScot as both conservation regulator and custodian of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, in light of reported concerns by some event organisers regarding potential conflicts of interest."

Question reference: S6W-40967

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Public Health Scotland has paused the 18 weeks referral-to-treatment standard reporting, and what steps are being taken to address any underlying data quality issues."

Question reference: S6W-40987

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the current Scottish Outdoor Access Code guidance for outdoor event organisers, and if so, how it will ensure that any such updated guidance reflects the practical realities of responsible outdoor access, while protecting Scotland’s natural environment."

Question reference: S6W-40986

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 are applied consistently and fairly to small-scale, low-impact outdoor adventure and sporting events."

Question reference: S6W-40953

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an an update on its public consultation on the role of Permitted Development Rights in delivering more high-quality homes."

Question reference: S6W-40964

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all NHS boards can accurately measure total patient waiting times for treatment and what the timeline is for implementing systems that allow full patient data linkage."

Question reference: S6W-40966

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government what the average and longest waiting times are for cataract surgery, when calculated from initial referral to completion of treatment, in the most recent year for which data is available and broken down by NHS board."

Question reference: S6W-40988

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support responsible adventure tourism events, such as the ITERA Adventure Race, in light of the international visitors and reported economic benefits they bring to rural Scotland, while taking environmental protection into account."

Question reference: S6W-40963

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Date lodged:2 October 2025

Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2025

"To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards are currently unable to link outpatient and inpatient data in order to provide a complete record of patient pathways from referral to treatment."

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