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 at the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP
Phone: 0131 348 6972
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 2 committees
Cross-party groups
Rachael is a member of 14 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 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
Deputy Convener
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
Deputy Convener
Parliamentary and Government Roles
Rachael does not have any parliamentary or government roles
Party Roles
Rachael has 2 party roles
Party Spokesperson on Islands
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Party Spokesperson on Rural Affairs
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Previous roles
Rachael has had 11 previous roles
Previous roles in cross-party groups are not included in this list.
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
20 August 2020 - 04 May 2021
Social Security Committee
Member
25 February 2020 - 04 May 2021
Culture Tourism Europe and External Affairs Committee
Substitute Member
25 February 2020 - 20 August 2020
Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee
Member
10 September 2019 - 25 February 2020
Environment Climate Change and Land Reform Committee
Member
17 May 2018 - 10 September 2019
Public Petitions Committee
Member
21 June 2017 - 17 May 2018
Culture Tourism Europe and External Relations Committee
Member
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: 31 May 2023
Agricultural Support
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "We get better value for money by supporting our farmers, crofters and fishermen. We also get better quality by buying food that is locally produced to high environmental standards…
Chamber meeting date: 31 May 2023
Wildfire (Cannich)
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "First and foremost, on behalf of my colleagues and, I am sure, the whole Parliament, I send our heartfelt sympathies to the firefighters who were injured while responding to the wildfire in Cannich…
Chamber meeting date: 25 May 2023
Agriculture Policy
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?"
Chamber meeting date: 24 May 2023
Ending Violence in Schools
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "In my constituency, the issue is not about logging of incidents; it is about empowering teachers and giving them confidence and a safe space to do that. That is something that the Government can help to encourage."
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee meeting date: 24 May 2023
National Islands Plan Annual Report 2022
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): "Convener, my question is very similar to yours; it is about the R100 programme being completed by 2028. Can I have some reassurance from the cabinet secretary that there will be progress before five years of the plan has expired?"
Votes
How Rachael Hamilton has voted in Parliament
Find out how Rachael Hamilton has voted recently.
Let's Talk Education – The National Discussion
Submitted by: Stephen Kerr, Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Result 29 for, 90 against, 0 abstained, 10 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Hospital at Home Programme in Scotland
Submitted by: Michael Matheson, Falkirk West, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Supported by: Jenni Minto, Maree Todd
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Result 114 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 15 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Hospital at Home Programme in Scotland
Submitted by: Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Date lodged: Thursday, May 25, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Result 47 for, 65 against, 0 abstained, 17 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Hospital at Home Programme in Scotland
Submitted by: Paul Sweeney, Glasgow, Scottish Labour. Date lodged: Thursday, May 25, 2023
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Result 17 for, 94 against, 3 abstained, 15 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Defeated
Ending Violence in Scottish Schools
Submitted by: Jenny Gilruth, Mid Fife and Glenrothes, Scottish National Party. Date lodged: Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Supported by: Graeme Dey, Natalie Don
Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Result 93 for, 18 against, 0 abstained, 18 did not vote
MSP voted for
Vote Passed
Motions
Motions made by Rachael Hamilton in Parliament
Find out what motions Rachael Hamilton has submitted recently.
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.
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 15 May 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of human trafficking have (a) been reported and (b) led to a prosecution, in each financial year since 2007-08."
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 May 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 12 May 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many outstanding cases of human trafficking have yet to lead to a prosecution due to court backlogs."
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 May 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 12 May 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS boards currently have a specialist endometriosis service in operation."
Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 May 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18 May 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Care Inspectorate’s report, Guidance for children and young people’s services on the inclusion of transgender including non-binary young people, which states that "a young person aged 12 and over is presumed to have sufficient capacity to make decisions about medical treatment,…
Answer expected on 5 June 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 4 April 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the consultation on its proposed Agriculture Bill."
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 May 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 4 April 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas since their introduction, and what criteria are used to determine this."
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 April 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 4 April 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the fishing industry, prior to the opening of the consultation, regarding the introduction of Highly Protected Marine Areas."
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 April 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 4 April 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to reduce the amount of food internationally imported into Scotland and increase the amount of food produced domestically."
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 April 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 6 April 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Scotland maintains a viable rental market."
Answered by Paul McLennan on 27 April 2023
Asked by: Hamilton, Rachael, Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 4 April 2023
"To ask the Scottish Government how many deer have been culled under licence from NatureScot in each of the last three years."
Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 April 2023
See all of Rachael Hamilton's questions submitted in Parliament