Rachael Hamilton
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party · Scotland
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Despite Jenny Gilruth, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, declaring for me my entry in the register of members’ interests after her statement on non-domestic rates on Tuesday, I failed to do so myself.”
“I am very concerned about this bill. First, the UK Parliament expedited the bill—it was fast-tracked—yet it confers huge powers on UK Government ministers not only to intervene in a business and take operational control, but to make a business’s failure to comply a criminal offence. This is a serious piece of legislation.”
“Time is running out, and some of Scotland’s businesses are being worn to the bone by rising rates. High streets are also being hollowed out. Will the Scottish Government consider a pause on the collection of non-domestic rates while it sorts out the glitch in the software system? What is the definition of “rapid”?”
“Our commitment to the industry is clear through ministers’ ongoing involvement in the UK steel council, as well as our role in and input to the development and publication of the recent UK steel strategy. This has always been—and will continue to be— a Government that takes action.”
“Members will have seen in UK minister Chris McDonald’s recent written statement that the UK Government “is strongly minded to use the powers in the Bill to bring British Steel into public ownership in the future, subject to the public interest being satisfied and taking into account all the relevant facts at that time.” I suggest that thi…”
“I hope that the member understands that we have sought to act in good faith by keeping the Economy, Tourism and Energy Committee informed and by ensuring that Parliament has the opportunity to consider, at the very least, the matter of legislative consent through the debate that we are having this afternoon.”
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“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Despite Jenny Gilruth, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, declaring for me my entry in the register of members’ interests after her statement on non-domestic rates on Tuesday, I failed to do so myself. I feel that it is appropriate to do so, so I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register.”
“I move, That the Parliament, noting that the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill, introduced in the House of Commons on 14 May 2026, makes provision that falls within the legislative competence of the Parliament, agrees to give consent to such provision as is made by clauses 1-7, 9-23, 25-43, 45-59 and 61-64. 17:53”
“Our commitment to the industry is clear through ministers’ ongoing involvement in the UK steel council, as well as our role in and input to the development and publication of the recent UK steel strategy. This has always been—and will continue to be— a Government that takes action. We have shown, over many years, that we are prepared to step in to support vital national assets to survive and prosper, that we will take action to protect jobs and communities and that we are prepared to take a strategic view of the importance of critical skills to long-term economic success. This is the right approach when the international economic outlook continues to be an uncertain one. I therefore ask Parliament to agree to the motion for legislative consent in relation to this bill.”
“Members will have seen in UK minister Chris McDonald’s recent written statement that the UK Government “is strongly minded to use the powers in the Bill to bring British Steel into public ownership in the future, subject to the public interest being satisfied and taking into account all the relevant facts at that time.” I suggest that this is an important point for members to reflect on, given the clearly implied policy intent of the legislation and where it could be applied. Scottish ministers remain committed to constructive engagement with the UK Government and to supporting measures that could lead to increased economic activity in Scotland. We will continue to work with the UK Government on this bill, as well as on the future of the steel industry in Scotland.”
“Last year, we were supportive of the UK Government’s decision to introduce the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025, which protected the British Steel operation in Scunthorpe, providing some hope that the UK Government is prepared to act when vital national interests are at stake. We said at the time that we hoped that it would form part of a comprehensive future strategy, and that is, indeed, the case.”
“Of course, the Scottish Government wants to see a sustainable future for the steel sector, building on the long and proud heritage of steelwork in Scotland, and that is reflected in our green industrial strategy. We welcome the UK Government’s action and we recognise that this needs to happen at a scale and with an intensity that reflects the uncertainty that is being felt by businesses, workers, and families across the UK. Potential interventions demand a co-ordinated response from Governments and our economic development agencies, which do so much to attract investment, develop talent and secure jobs.”
“These matters are contingent on the progress of the legislation at Westminster, but I would be happy to keep Parliament up to date, particularly when we return from recess. The steel sector remains a foundational industry within the UK economy, underpinning key supply chains in construction, manufacturing, energy and defence while sustaining tens of thousands of skilled jobs across industrial communities, including in Scotland. The sector continues to play a critical role in enabling economic growth and is central to the transition to net zero, given its importance to low-carbon infrastructure, clean energy technologies and the wider industrial base.”
“I hope that the member understands that we have sought to act in good faith by keeping the Economy, Tourism and Energy Committee informed and by ensuring that Parliament has the opportunity to consider, at the very least, the matter of legislative consent through the debate that we are having this afternoon. However, she is absolutely right to highlight the significant powers that are conferred on UK ministers through this legislation. As I sought to indicate in my letter to the committee’s convener, assuming that the legislation receives royal assent, the Scottish Government and ministers are happy to continue to engage with the committee and, of course, with the Parliament in relation to any utilisation of the legislation that may have effect in Scotland.”
“Tom Arthur: I know that points around the process were discussed last week in Parliament. I fully recognise—and I repeat what I stated in responding to the intervention from Mr Harvie— that the situation is clearly sub-optimal. It is a reflection of the period of time in which we are operating; the UK Government’s decision to progress the bill through an expedited process; and the election cycle, the formation of a Government and our reconvening after the election in this place. I fully recognise that this is not a model way in which to go about the process of seeking legislative consent.”
“I am very concerned about this bill. First, the UK Parliament expedited the bill—it was fast-tracked—yet it confers huge powers on UK Government ministers not only to intervene in a business and take operational control, but to make a business’s failure to comply a criminal offence. This is a serious piece of legislation. In fact, the UK Parliament was recalled on a Saturday for it, and the last time that that happened was in 1982 for the Falklands war. The Presiding Officer: This is an intervention, not a speech within a speech. Rachael Hamilton: I am not making a speech. What reassurances can the minister give around ensuring that such a serious bill, which has not been scrutinised in the UK Parliament and has not been scrutinised here, is sufficient in terms of the Scottish Government’s devolved responsibilities?”
“It is imperative that we outline that, and it is also imperative that members appropriately record interests where they have them. Climate Change”
“Time is running out, and some of Scotland’s businesses are being worn to the bone by rising rates. High streets are also being hollowed out. Will the Scottish Government consider a pause on the collection of non-domestic rates while it sorts out the glitch in the software system? What is the definition of “rapid”? Jenny Gilruth: I did not hear Rachael Hamilton draw members’ attention to her entry in the register of members’ interests; although I am given to understand that she is a business owner. Nevertheless, it is important that the Government sets out a rapid review—that is exactly the timescale that I have associated with this issue— to report to ministers as soon as possible following the summer recess. We will then look to give a further update to the Parliament on all those issues.”
“Committee consideration of such an important sector would allow people to give evidence and members to ask focused questions and to gather and analyse evidence. That would be much more robust than the suggested alternative that is before us today. Urgency without care dilutes the scrutiny, especially in areas that cut across devolved and reserved matters. It is with good faith that we raise those concerns—it is based on public interest. 17:44”
“Although we understand that the bill is being fast-tracked at Westminster for obvious reasons— the need to safeguard the steel industry—we are being asked to take a view without the fuller scrutiny that committee consideration would provide. The Scottish Conservatives disagree with the decision to proceed without committee consideration and instead ask Parliament to make a determination on the LCM directly. No equivalent scrutiny process has been offered. A chamber debate is much less robust—that form of scrutiny is not as good as committee consideration here. Clearly, the best route to that scrutiny is through the lead committee, the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, which sits next week, as I said. I understand that the timetable is tight, but time can be found for more focused evidence taking.”
“First, I acknowledge that the Scottish Government requested that the United Kingdom legislation be amended to require consent for the exercise of powers in relation to steel undertakings in Scotland, where those powers are exercised for a devolved purpose. That request was not accepted, and the Scottish Government has said that it cannot recommend legislative consent for the bill. Suspending standing order rule 9B.3.5 would disapply the usual requirement for a lead committee to be designated to consider any legislative consent memorandum and report to Parliament. Therefore, Parliament is being asked to decide a legislative consent motion without that committee stage. In this case, that role would ordinarily fall to the Economy, Tourism and Energy Committee, on which I sit and which will convene next Tuesday.”
“To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last met with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the future of Hawick fire station. (S7O-00069)”
“Decisions on non-domestic rates in relation to reliefs and poundage are considered, as would be expected, as part of the annual budget process, so there is an opportunity for members from across the chamber to make representations to the Government. I assure Rachael Hamilton that we are cognisant of the concerns that have been raised and that we are committed to constructive engagement, particularly, as I said in my previous answer, ahead of the next revaluation. National Litter and Fly-tipping Strategy 6.”
“I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests. Over the past couple of months, businesses in the Borders have come to me concerned about the extreme rise in their non-domestic rates. Passing the buck on the methodology to the assessor will not wash with businesses, nor will waiting for the Gill review. Will the minister help those businesses to contribute to their local economy by intervening in this unfair process? Tom Arthur: I recognise the concerns that have been expressed by Rachael Hamilton on behalf of businesses in her constituency. I assure her that the Government takes those matters seriously. The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport and I will engage closely with our colleague the Minister for Public Finance on those matters.”
“When I spoke to voters in Aberdeen South, I heard at first hand about the pain and turmoil caused by the SNP’s presumption against oil and gas. Livelihoods are being lost—1,000 jobs are being lost per month. That is shocking. That is not serious economic policy. It is the exporting of Scottish jobs, prosperity and growth for political posturing.”
“In a recent interview, he criticised the fact that Scotland is the highest-taxed part of the UK, despite it being his own Government’s policy. The business community says that there is no direction of travel for Scotland’s long-term growth. The previous Finance and Public Administration Committee concluded that economic strategies have not delivered the scale of growth that was promised, and Audit Scotland has said that it is concerned about the SNP’s unclear and weak delivery mechanisms. Unlike the SNP motion, my party’s amendment highlights Scotland’s key sectors, such as oil and gas, energy, food and drink, financial services and space. Nowhere is security more at stake than in our oil and gas sector, and in Aberdeen—the city that built it.”
“The very first vote of this session of Parliament was a symbolic vote on the constitution, which clearly sends the wrong message to businesses. Sir Tom Hunter warned that that vote will have people asking themselves whether they should invest in Scotland if there is something going on that makes it politically unstable. That is the wrong message to send to businesses. There are business representatives in the gallery today, and they want Scotland to succeed. For the SNP, economic growth has always played second fiddle to breaking up the United Kingdom. Now to Mr Flynn: at Westminster, as a backbencher, he could shout from the sidelines and show off his leadership potential, but he could of course dodge any blame for SNP policies. Now he has a responsibility to deliver for business, and there is no hiding; the business sector is watching.”
“Its failure to grow the economy means that, despite Scots being the highest taxed of those in all parts of the UK, only half of that tax gets to public services. We need sound fiscal management, but how can we accept that the party of John Swinney, Peter Murrell and Colin Beattie is fiscally responsible? The SNP has left this country with a deficit—a black hole—that will reach £5 billion by the end of the decade, and spending is growing faster than revenue. As I said, that leaves less money for infrastructure projects such as dualling the A9, for essential housing and energy projects and for supporting jobs and investment. It is fantasy economics. It is a dangerous game to be playing with Scotland’s future. Instead of fixing those problems, the SNP is obsessed with another dangerous game.”
“Our amendment has a laser focus on Scotland’s economic potential. I welcome Stephen Flynn to his role and congratulate him on his first speech. I appreciate that this may sound obvious, but after nearly two decades of SNP Government, it is worth restating the basics. Prosperity means improved services, such as building new schools and saving swimming pools—the obvious things that all of us are talking about in our constituencies. It means ensuring that we improve people’s life chances. It means job creation. However, under the SNP, the economic landscape looks perilous. Scotland’s economic growth has lagged behind that of the rest of the UK by £12 billion since the SNP took power.”
“Will the member accept an intervention? Stephen Flynn: They are the generations that entered the world of work during a global financial crisis and lived through the austerity years of Cameron and Clegg that followed. It is probably apt that, at that point, I give way to Rachael Hamilton.”
“The words that she uses in that motion, such as “inclusive” and “physical, mental, and social health” should not be used without meaning—Maree Todd will know exactly what I mean by that. We should strive to achieve those goals. If we are to seek short-term, medium-term and long-term solutions, we must also ensure that local authorities have financial sustainability. I see the time, Presiding Officer. I had only four minutes and I am not used to that. We used to be a very effective Opposition—perhaps we still are, because I note that, yet again, Reform has not even lodged an amendment. If there is a division, the Scottish Conservatives will support every amendment today, and we will support the Scottish Government’s motion, as amended, at decision time. 17:02”
“My colleague Miles Briggs noted that, to date, the Scottish Parliament has not held a function or event to mark the Commonwealth games. We should recognise them. I realise that it is a new parliamentary session, but we really need to get behind the teams and support the athletes. I hope that the parliamentary staff will consider having a parliamentary event before we go into recess, which is not that long away. The health benefits of sport have been articulated—Gillian Mackay talked about them. Although the support for grass-roots sport is welcome, Scottish local authorities are under huge financial pressure and face challenges that are hampering progress towards the goals that are set out in Maree Todd’s motion.”
“I pay tribute to Borders wheelchair racer Samantha Kinghorn. She is originally from Gordon, in my constituency, and many of you will know who she is. She is a key participant in the 2026 Commonwealth games in Glasgow. Rather than competing, this time—because she is expecting a baby—she is serving as an official athlete ambassador, having stepped back from racing to start her family, which is fantastic. Sammi was one of the first athletes to be selected for team Scotland in 2014, and she made her Commonwealth games debut in front of a home crowd. After finishing fifth in the T54 1500m final in Glasgow and improving on that result by finishing fourth at Gold Coast 2018, she secured her long-awaited podium moment at Birmingham 2022, where a nail-biting finish saw her clinch the bronze medal.”
“Mr Harley made an excellent speech, and he is absolutely right about removing party politics from the topic that we are talking about this afternoon. I was also really touched by what he said about the individual who has such talent but is worried about losing facilities. That stems from the real issue that we see here. I congratulate everybody who made their maiden speech today. I was really proud of being a netball coach and umpire at Earlston high school. We had 45 kids in the group, and we used to take them to matches. We went to the Scottish schools cup and played Gordonstoun, which is a renowned private school. Earlston—a state school—came second in the Scottish schools cup. Liam McArthur is absolutely right that the roles of umpire and coach are really important and we should support them.”
“This summer is certainly going to be exciting. I hope that it will be non- political and that we can all enjoy it. Even if some people in the chamber do not like football, I am sure that everybody will wish the participants, the volunteers and the spectators well. I will touch on a couple of the maiden speeches. Irshad Ahmed’s speech was excellent. I very much relate to his being a family man but running a business as well and bringing his young children into work. It is lovely to see that we have people in the Parliament who have run businesses and understand the challenges of running a business. I also pay tribute to Adam Harley. I do not know him, but it is clear that he still fits his suit, because Alex Cole-Hamilton, whom he worked for, kept him very busy running around.”
“In addition, £1.75 million has been made available to Scottish Government sport bodies, national partners and national organisations that have applied through an open and competitive process. The model ensures both universal reach and targeted impact and recognises that, although national leadership is important, the real strength of Scottish sport lies in our communities and in the partnerships that bring activity to life.”
“That is why we have worked collaboratively with sportscotland and partners to design a programme that directly addresses those barriers. At its heart, the summer of sport programme will deliver free, targeted or low-cost opportunities for children and young people to get active, try something new and stay active. It is a deliberately inclusive programme that is designed to reach those who are currently underrepresented in sport, particularly children who are experiencing poverty, those who live in remote and rural areas, disabled children or those who are not currently engaged in physical activity. The overarching purpose of the summer of sport fund is twofold. The majority of the funding has been allocated directly to all 32 local authorities.”
“That is one of the good reasons to support it. This summer, our men’s national football team will be competing at the FIFA world cup for the first time in 28 years, and the Commonwealth games will return to Glasgow. Alongside that, Scotland’s women’s teams, from cricket to hockey, are also competing on the world stage and providing inspiration for the next generation. We have made a clear choice as a Government that inspiration must not be passive. It must translate into real opportunity—opportunity for every child in Scotland, regardless of their background or circumstance. However, for too many children and young people, we know that the opportunity does not yet exist or is out of reach. We know the barriers that they face: cost, transport, lack of confidence and, in some cases, feeling that sport is just not for them.”
“The minister makes an important point about inclusion. In rural areas, kids at school cannot get the bus transport to get to the activities and events, and the pools and other assets. What more can the Scottish Government do to support local authorities to ensure that the facilities and events become inclusive for everyone? Maree Todd: I will come on to some of the summer of sport activities that are particularly targeted at rural areas. As I represent a rural area, I recognise that challenge. On bus travel, we are piloting the £2 bus fare cap in the Highlands and Islands, which has been transformative. We have seen an increase in the number of bus routes that are participating. Once the scheme is rolled out all over Scotland, it will make a significant difference to the opportunities that young people have.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on public confidence in political institutions in Scotland following the guilty plea entered by former Scottish National Party chief executive Peter Murrell in recent court proceedings.”
“Why does it not give businesses certainty or deal with the unresolved questions about currency, central banking, public finances, borrowing powers and all the rest of it, such as the questions that it cannot even answer about regulations and pensions?”
“It was my win, and the wins of my colleagues Finlay Carson and Craig Hoy, that absolutely scuppered the chances of the separatists. The SNP has simply not managed to reach its goal. I am a bit surprised at Reform, which failed to lodge an amendment to the SNP motion. Clearly, it is letting the SNP off scot free—on top of having let the SNP take a number of seats across Scotland. The Scottish Government has a huge range of devolved powers across health, education, justice, housing, transport and some parts of taxation. We are one of the most powerful Parliaments in the world, and I am proud to be part of that and to have been re-elected. However, the Government demands yet more powers. We have heard that before. Why does it not use its current powers?”
“In the previous parliamentary session, the SNP claimed that an SNP majority in the Holyrood election would be a mandate for independence. It claimed that a pro-independence majority would give it the right to further pursue an independence referendum. Pro-independence parties, including the SNP’s friends the Greens, who agree with letting prisoners out of prisons, were returned to this Parliament with a vote tally that was reduced by 400,000—none of them has actually talked about that today—while support for unionist parties has barely changed. Lloyd Melville: Does Rachael Hamilton really believe that the 12 disciples of Toryism are the best arbiter of public opinion, following their drubbing? Rachael Hamilton: I am very proud that the blue wall has been maintained and has stopped an SNP majority.”
“Instead of focusing on the topic of independence, we should be lowering people’s staggering and rising bills, helping people to keep their businesses afloat by dealing with the non-domestic rates revaluation, improving educational standards, stamping out violence in schools, dealing with and stopping crime, and ending the relentless obsession with fringe issues, which we spent most of the last session arguing about. Those should be our priorities, whether we are a unionist or a nationalist. Russell Findlay has already said that he was surprised that our first debate was to be on independence. We have had that debate already. We had a vote, with an 85 per cent turnout, in 2014, and the public expressed their opinion clearly.”
“Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome you to your role, and I welcome everyone who is making their maiden speech today. I remember making mine back in 2016, and it is quite a daunting thing to do. I am disappointed by the SNP’s motion for our first debate because it fundamentally fails to recognise what the Scottish public so desperately want their Government to be focused on. Today, it seems that we have drawn the dividing lines between unionism and nationalism. Voters of all political persuasions are saying to me that they wish their Government would focus on the things that matter. All of us have spoken about that.”
“I move amendment S7M-00105.1, to leave out from first “welcomes” to end and insert: “notes that the Scottish National Party’s stated objective prior to 7 May 2026 was to secure an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament elections in order to pursue independence, but that the party achieved fewer votes and seats than in the previous elections, whereas the Scottish Liberal Democrats achieved gains across Scotland from the Borders to the Highlands, and believes that the Scottish Government must now focus on fixing the NHS and care, helping people with the cost of living crisis, fixing the roads and the ferries and getting Scottish education back to its best, in order to deliver the change that Scotland deserves.” The Presiding Officer: I call Malcolm Offord. 14:45”
“We need to get Scotland moving again. Just last week, the nation was embarrassed when the technology of the 19th century came to the aid of passengers of the 21st century—the Clyde paddle steamer, the Waverley, had to rescue passengers because a Caledonian MacBrayne vessel had broken down. That is a microcosm of the inadequacies of the SNP Government, and taking time for parliamentary debates such as this one does nothing to serve our constituents. It is no wonder that they do not pay the attention to, or have the trust in, the Parliament that they used to, because they just do not believe that it can deliver for them.”
“Will the member give way? Alex Cole-Hamilton: I do not have time— The Presiding Officer: You do have time. Alex Cole-Hamilton: Okay—I will take an intervention from Tom Arthur. Tom Arthur: One of the fundamental challenges that we face in social care is the recruitment and retention of workforce, and that challenge is particularly conspicuous in our Highlands and rural communities. Is that not a convincing argument for powers over immigration to be devolved to this Parliament? Alex Cole-Hamilton: I do not disagree with Mr Arthur that Brexit has been a disaster for social care, but it would be a lot easier to fix social care if his Government paid people more to work in social care or gave them key worker housing to address the shortage of housing in the Highlands and Islands that he discussed, so he has got a nerve to raise that with me.”
“I, Rachael Hamilton, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me”
“The uncertainty does not help anyone, so it is incumbent on everyone to try to reverse from the positions that we have got ourselves into, or been put into, to ensure that we provide stability not only to farmers but to everybody who relies on food, which is all of us.”
“I congratulate my friend and colleague Christine Grahame on her time here, and I wish her well in the future. I agree with the minister and Christine Grahame that heating bills are doubling and that rural areas are particularly affected. Farmers are bearing the brunt of the war in the middle east, which will also have an impact on food production. Should people who could be eligible for potential funding order their fuel now, or should they hold off? What will be the eligibility criteria? Will the Scottish National Party Government shape the fund to recognise rural challenges? Jim Fairlie: I absolutely recognise the points that Rachael Hamilton has made. We do not have the details for the scheme at the moment; we will need to get more details.”
“Borders residents have also written to me about the rise in fuel prices, and particularly those who live in fuel poverty. Will the First Minister consider making a Scottish Government resilience or crisis fund available to support those people, who are really living in challenging times with the rise in prices? The First Minister: The issues in relation to energy prices are a reserved matter for the United Kingdom Government. As I set out, the mechanism is the alternative fuel payment infrastructure, which is a matter for the United Kingdom Government. That is the means of intervening where these circumstances arise. I invite Rachael Hamilton to join us in demanding that the UK Government acts to protect rural residents. That is where the responsibility lies and where the action should come from.”
“For the reasons that I have outlined, I ask colleagues to support amendments 137, 318 and 324. The Deputy Presiding Officer : I call Douglas Ross to speak to amendment 138 and other amendments in the group.”
“Jamie Hepburn: The fundamental point that people are striving to get at is presumably the inverse of demonstrating that a woman is pregnant. Would they have to demonstrate that they are not? The only way that they could do that is by demonstrating that they have taken a pregnancy test. That introduces a whole area that I do not think that we expected to get into with this bill. Stephen Kerr: I am sorry, but if someone is receiving medical treatment, it will be very clear to the doctors who are treating them whether the woman is pregnant. Again, we are reaching beyond the straightforward nature of a clarification in law that the amendments seek to produce. I am grateful to all colleagues who have intervened while I speak to the amendments in the name of Sue Webber.”
“To clarify the question from Emma Roddick, does the amendment mean that a pregnant woman who is in a palliative state would have to take a pregnancy test? Indeed, would any other person—who was possibly someone who identified as a woman but was a 90-year-old man—also then have to take a pregnancy test, if they were in palliative care? Stephen Kerr: That is an incredibly hypothetical scenario. A 90-year-old man portraying himself as pregnant is stretching the point, if I may say so. The amendment is clear and straightforward, and it deals with women who are pregnant. The amendments from Sue Webber arise because the bill as it stands fails to confront the grave question— Jamie Hepburn: Will Stephen Kerr give way? Stephen Kerr: I will happily give way to Jamie Hepburn.”
“I know that the member represents a largely rural constituency. I do, too, and at one point, my constituency was the hardest hit in Scotland on the loss of banks, so I can identify with those concerns. The Promise 2.”