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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“The framework that we are looking at is important in enabling us to understand where those separate spaces are not offered, and to gather the data that will allow the Scottish Government to deliver on its promises. However, I want to be frank with the minister that the timeframe—as my colleague Sue Webber said— will be quite challenging for the Scottish Government. There are reasons why NHS boards do not offer separate spaces, mental health support and workforce support, but I suppose that our ambition is for everyone to have access to deal with grieving and loss in those private spaces. Brian Whittle talked about miscarriage being not just a medical event but a long-term emotional and psychological event.”
“Brian Whittle, Carol Mochan and other members talked about the mental health aspects, and support and training for the workforce of health professionals. That is so important. Members also talked about ensuring that services are accessible everywhere, including in rural areas. I know that the minister is from a rural area, so she gets those rural issues. It should not be a postcode lottery. As I said, I did not feel as though I was being discriminated against because I did not have a separate space, because my mind—my head space—did not register it. Looking back, however, I think that that is important, particularly for women who have multiple miscarriages and who have trouble conceiving; it must be so retraumatising to go back through that.”
“I remember specifically not telling anybody other than my very close family. They then all decided that I should go to a family wedding. I felt different, with the hormones and the emotions, and coping with the changes and the recovery from the surgical procedure, and I just did not want to talk about it. I thought that it was so clever of Gillian Mackay, Rona Mackay, Douglas Ross, Sue Webber and others to talk about the taboo and the stigma. I was not able to talk about it—I was not ready, and I probably have not been ready to do so until this day. When I was offered the opportunity to speak about miscarriage, I thought, “Yes, I’m ready now”. That is 15 years later, so one can imagine how raw it feels for so many other people.”
“For the first time ever, I have felt confident today, 15 years later, to talk about a 12-week miscarriage that I experienced. I received incredible care at the Borders general hospital—the BGH, as we call it in the Borders. It did not have separate rooms, but the gynaecologist and the nursing staff were very caring and compassionate, and I had access to a quiet room, although it was in an area where there were heavily pregnant women. Like Bob Doris, I was caught up in the chaos of the news; the staff did the best that they could, but I did not really understand what was going on around me. What has not been mentioned today is the whole process—you have to take on board a lot of information about what will happen next and the surgical procedure. Beyond that, many members have talked knowledgeably about the aftermath of everything.”
“Today’s debate has been valuable, although I give the Government another rap over the knuckles for not delivering the framework for members to read prior to the debate, because that should have happened. However, I think that the Government has taken that on board, and it is probably a lesson to learn in the context of such emotive debates. I thank Louise Caldwell for her continuing campaigning and petitioning—she has won an award for her work, as Monica Lennon said—and the rest of the people in the gallery. I also thank the men in the chamber, as I thought that they— Fulton MacGregor, Brian Whittle, Bob Doris and Douglas Ross—delivered really good speeches today. It is important that we remember that men are partners in the whole process. Bob Doris’s speech in particular was very good.”
“It is generally accepted that as much notice as possible should be given to members, although I appreciate that there will be occasions when that is more difficult than it is on others. I am not aware of the circumstances to which you have referred, Ms Hamilton, but we will look into them. If a more detailed response is required, we will come back to you. I call the minister. 15:30”
“On a point of order, Deputy Presiding Officer. It has just been drawn to my attention that, although the motion says that the Parliament “welcomes the publication of the Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care in Scotland and the Progesterone Pathway”, members did not have the opportunity to see those publications until twenty-five past three. They were sent to certain members—business managers and so on—but not to the speakers in the debate. It is very difficult to comment on a framework and a pathway when we do not have clear information in front of us from the Government. I want to make you aware of that, and I seek your advice on the matter. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Hamilton.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes portfolio questions on education and skills. There will be a short pause before we move on to the next item of business to allow those on the front benches to change position. Creative Scotland (Multiyear Funding)”
“Graeme Dey: The purpose of last week’s meeting was to engage closely with that college and many others in looking at the most practical way forward to achieve sustainability for those colleges in the long term. I hope that, when the member goes back to that college, she will go there wanting to be open and honest and that she will fess up and say that her party wanted to take £1 billion from public funds for tax cuts—a circle that cannot be squared, as I have twice said to Brian Whittle. I hope the member will also recognise that the college is looking to focus on land-based courses and on hospitality, and that one of the principal reasons why we have a skills shortage in the Borders, and elsewhere in Scotland, is because of the hard Brexit that her party gave birth to.”
“To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Borders College. (S6O-04281) The Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans (Graeme Dey): I last met with the principal of Borders College a week ago today. Rachael Hamilton: I am very glad to hear it. However, I hope that the minister was given the information that Scottish National Party cuts will mean that colleges such as Borders College will have to make very stark choices. They will have to narrow their curriculum, reduce student support or close some of the subject areas, the result of which will be fewer opportunities and poorer outcomes for learners. What message can I take when I visit Borders College tomorrow to reassure it that the Scottish Government will support it so that it does not have to make those stark choices?”
“That issue will be one of the many that I will discuss with her. The Presiding Officer: That concludes the ministerial statement. I will allow a moment or two for members on the front benches to organise before the next item of business. National Care Service”
“A number of concerns have been raised about the procedures in the Scottish Prison Service. Unannounced inspections are practically non-existent. The inspections that do take place are announced in advance and only happen every several years. Will the cabinet secretary work with HMIPS to ensure that more unannounced inspections take place? Angela Constance: I give a commitment to members that I will discuss that with the new chief inspector when she comes into post. I am due to meet her very soon. Sara Snell has significant experience in the prison system elsewhere on these islands. In addition, she has been working on an international level with the Red Cross for the past several years, looking at the changing nature of detention. She comes well briefed on the challenges and on how Scotland compares with other countries.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, “Economic Impacts of Short-term Lets in Scotland”, specifically in relation to the Scottish Borders. (S6O-04246)”
“He was a commentator and humorist, and—as I said—he had one of the most colourful private lives that it is possible to imagine. I hope that no woke revisionism goes on when it comes to Robert Burns, and I hope that there are no trigger warnings for some imagined offence. I trust that our teachers will set aside any advice from the SQA on the matter and ensure that Robert Burns and his works are always put forward in the proper context to help our people to understand and appreciate the poetry of our great national bard. 17:59”
“Will the member take an intervention? Stephen Kerr: Of course—I will happily do so. Rachael Hamilton: Our colleague Finlay Carson quoted from “Willie Wastle”, whose “wife was dour and din”. Would Mr Kerr also say that Robert Burns was slightly rude about women? Stephen Kerr: I have to say that, in my experience of the writings of Burns, he was infatuated with women—his rather colourful private life is, I think, evidence to prove the case. Burns certainly speaks to us today, and I am sure that, as we attend Burns suppers organised by our respective parties, when immortal memories will be toasted, we will all be claiming that Burns would definitely have been on our side of the aisle. The truth is that Burns defies political definition—he defied convention and he was the great contrarian.”
“I move, That the Parliament opposes the UK and Scottish governments’ jointly proposed reforms to the consenting process under the Electricity Act 1989, which risk silencing the voices of communities by removing the right to a public inquiry on consent decisions; notes with concern that the Scottish Government has allowed pylons and other electricity infrastructure to be built without the consent of local communities; acknowledges that community groups often do not have the resources to oppose electricity infrastructure, and calls on the Scottish Government to consider how this could be addressed, and implores both governments to abandon these plans and to ensure that community voices are at the heart of the consenting process going forward. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Alasdair Allan to speak to and move amendment S6M- 16171.3.”
“We cannot allow big companies to greenwash and spend millions on advertising and lobbying to divide our communities. For those companies, this is not about delivering net zero; it is about delivering profits to their shareholders. We cannot ignore the voices of our communities on decisions that affect them so significantly.”
“On the back of that, there are plans for a huge hydrogen production facility and multiple battery storage facilities. That is the problem: it is the cumulative effect of all those developments together that make them so wrong. Just this week, The Press and Journal reported on another massive wind farm—this time in Clashindarroch, near Dufftown, by Canadian firm Boralex. Campaigner Trevor Smith accused Boralex of seeking to “strip the Cabrach of the natural assets which make it such a special place to live”, and said that the development has become “a symbol of corporate bullying and greed.” We simply cannot stand by while our constituents are ignored like that. We cannot keep quiet when our communities are telling us that they do not want these monster pylons, turbines and battery storage facilities to be built together.”
“I have done something that the cabinet secretary has not done; I have gone to speak to the individuals who will be impacted by these developments. They have genuine concerns, borne out of love for their landscape, their heritage and their homes. They understand the move to net zero—but not at any price. They simply want to have their say, and the proposals from both this devolved Government and the UK Labour Government will deny them their voice. I have been meeting groups in Turriff, New Deer and Leylodge, and the residents are at their wits’ end. One resident I have to mention is June Morrison, who is becoming a bit of a star on local television. June is already having to put up with a massive new substation in her back garden.”
“Compensation is not adequate and the promise of a couple of hundred quid off their energy bill for a few years or another community hall does not make up for the thousands of pounds that people are seeing wiped from the value of their home and the noise and disruption that come along with those developments. Public inquiries are a vital part of our planning system to prevent rushed decisions from being taken by those with vested interests. They allow local communities to make their voices heard and empower our communities to have a chance to put their side of the argument. They are not about stopping all developments or standing in the way of progress; they are about giving the people who know the area best a voice—and the Scottish Conservatives will always stand up for our local communities.”
“Douglas Lumsden talks about standing up for communities such as my community in the Borders. Communities are beset with hundreds of applications for renewables that are walking us into a nightmare, as they will destroy farmland, businesses and landscapes. Does he agree? Douglas Lumsden: Absolutely. We are currently facing plans for hundreds of miles of new pylons right across Scotland, affecting the Highlands, the Borders and Aberdeenshire, and just about everywhere in between. Turbines are popping up everywhere and battery storage is completely out of control. Communities are up in arms. They are being ignored, concerns are being dismissed and local issues are being discounted.”
“I have brought that figure to the chamber before—it is unbelievable. The staff who are carrying the burden “are running out of goodwill.” That is a direct quote from the chief executive, Peter Moore. Even when NHS Borders manages to achieve financial balance, it will still have to pay back outstanding brokerage, which may have reached a staggering £100 million by March 2027. I realise that we are short of time. There is so much more that we need to do, and I would like the cabinet secretary to come to the Borders to meet the hard-working staff. 17:36”
“We received an email earlier saying that NHS Grampian is going into stage 3 of the intervention framework. In my constituency, the financial situation of NHS Borders is critical, and the cabinet secretary knows that. In just two years, the deficit has doubled to £33.6 million. The board has been at level 3 since 2021, but what support has the SNP Government offered? In my opinion, it has put the board under further strain by asking it not only to balance the books but to make cuts at the same time. Ironically, one of the cuts that has been outlined is a 10 per cent reduction to a workforce that is already struggling to cope with demand. Wait until you hear these figures. In the past four years, NHS Borders has lost 10,000 working days every year to staff absences related to mental health.”
“I have also written to him in the past couple of days to invite him to come to the Borders to thank the hard-working front-line staff and to see what more can be done to improve the terrible outcomes that we are seeing in the Borders, an issue that was covered last night on the “Representing Border” programme on ITV Borders. Only 58 per cent of patients are seen within the four-hour target. Those figures are the worst on record since 2007 and the third worst in Scotland, and Neil Gray knows that. I put on the record that that is not caused by the influx of flu patients, because those figures are from November and so are not about that. In the brief time that I have, I will cover the financial situation of health boards across Scotland.”
“Listening to First Minister’s questions today I was shocked at what I was hearing about the NHS and replies from John Swinney as if everything is ok. I just can’t believe this.” Neil Gray: Will the member write to me with the details of that case? We are investing in making sure that we can get through the waiting lists and are using the national resource that is the Golden Jubilee hospital, as well as regional resources, on matters such as cataract surgery. I want to see more detail about what has been communicated to the constituent, because that is certainly not the way that we would want, or expect, patients to be communicated with. Rachael Hamilton: I am very grateful to Neil Gray for that response and will certainly write to him.”
“I am grateful to my colleague Tim Eagle for bringing forward this debate on rural healthcare. At 5 past 4 this afternoon, just over an hour ago, I received an email from a constituent, which I will read out word for word. It states: “Dear Rachael I’m waiting for cataract surgery at Borders General Hospital. I was told in December it would be possibly a year. Now I’ve just had a call from BGH telling me if I don’t accept the Jubilee Hospital as an option I’ll be removed from the waiting list. This I find to be totally unacceptable as I’m 82. I can’t travel to Glasgow; I’m not able. So as from today I am no longer on the waiting list. Just thought I’d let you know this because I believe it’s the SNP government who has made this decision.”
“I will carry out my responsibilities when I get an opportunity to meet the Secretary of State for Transport. If members from all parties help by supporting the case, that would be very helpful. Service Quality Inspection Regime Data (ScotRail Ticket Offices) 4.”
“I agree completely with what the cabinet secretary said. There is a risk that Scottish Borders Council will be bankrolling that funding for a feasibility study project manager. Would it be helpful for us to work in a cross-party manner so that we can put pressure on the Labour Government to release the £5 million in funding that has already been promised in the budget? Fiona Hyslop: Members will continue to do that, cross-party. As Rachael Hamilton is aware, I visited Galashiels and met the campaign group there. However, I have a role as Cabinet Secretary for Transport, so I have raised not only that matter, but funding support for general growth deals. In October, during my first meeting with the Secretary of State for Scotland, we considered other issues—for example, the union connectivity fund and what was going to happen with it.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to those who wish to protect and preserve the Bernat Klein studio in Selkirk. (S6O-04160)”