Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill

This Bill will introduce rules about non-surgical procedures. Offering non-surgical procedures will become illegal in certain circumstances.

It will also change some processes around death certification.

This is a Government bill

The Bill was introduced on 8 October 2025 and is at Stage 1

Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill has completed Introduced

Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill is currently at Stage 1

Stage 2 has not been reached yet

Stage 3 has not been reached yet

Act has not been reached yet

This Bill is at Stage 1 of the process to decide if it should become an Act.

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Overview

Part 1 of the Bill as introduced will make it illegal to provide certain types of procedures to people under the age of 18.

It will only be legal to provide these services from properties that meet certain requirements.

The procedures covered by the Bill are ones that:

pierce or penetrate the skin
are not provided as part of the health service
are not provided by a health care provider for the purposes of treating illness, and
are not regulated under a type of licensing scheme set out in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

These types of procedure might be done for cosmetic or for wellbeing purposes. They could include a dermal filler injection or a stronger chemical peel.

A full list of the procedures covered is contained in schedule 1 of the Bill. The Bill includes a power for this list to be changed in the future.

The Bill also allows the Scottish Government to introduce more restrictions and requirements for these types of procedure in the future. This could include:

saying who can provide them
what sort of training or qualifications are needed to provide them
how the rules around them are enforced

Part 2 of the Bill changes the Certification of Death (Scotland) Act 2011. If passed, it will:

change when someone can request a review of a medical certificate of cause of death, and when a request for a review can be rejected
remove the need for authorisation of applications for cremation when someone dies outside of Scotland, but in another part of the UK, and is going to be cremated in Scotland

Why the Bill was created

The Scottish Government has introduced the Bill to make sure that non-surgical procedures are safe, hygienic, and regulated. They also believe that these types of procedure may cause children and young people physical or psychological harm. For this reason, the Government believes they should only be provided to adults.

The Scottish Government also wants to update the rules around certification of death. This decision follows discussions with the Death Certification Review Service and authorities representing other UK nations.

All Bills introduced in the Parliament must be accompanied by specific documents. For most Bills, this includes:

Explanatory Notes: this document provides an overview of what the Bill does, plus a more detailed explanation of individual provisions.

Policy Memorandum: this sets out the objectives of the Bill. It also lists any alternatives considered, details of consultations, and an assessment of the effects of the Bill on a range of areas.

Financial Memorandum: this sets out estimates of costs, savings, and any changes to revenues expected to result from the Bill.

Delegated Powers Memorandum: this is needed if a Bill gives powers to make subordinate legislation or allows Scottish Ministers to issue directions, guidance or codes of practice.

Statements on legislative competence: two short statements, one by the Presiding Officer and one by the Member introducing the Bill. “Legislative competence” means the powers the Parliament has to make law.

Research on the Bill

The Scottish Parliament's Information Centre (SPICe) prepares impartial research and analysis to assist MSPs in their examination of Bills and other parliamentary business.

A research briefing will be published in due course.

The Bill was introduced on 8 October 2025

At Stage 1, the Bill is given to a lead committee. This is usually the committee whose remit most closely relates to the subject of the Bill. The lead committee will consider and report on the Bill. Other committees may also examine the Bill and report to the lead committee. Finally, there is a debate and vote by all MSPs on the general principles of the Bill. If the general principles are not agreed to, then the Bill ‘falls’ and can’t become law.

Lead committee examines the Bill

The lead committee for this Bill is the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee.

The lead committee will usually examine the Bill through evidence sessions. This will involve contributions from individuals and organisations, known as 'witnesses', with knowledge of the subject matter. The committee might also discuss the Bill in private sessions.

Call for views (open)

Your Priorities

The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has set up a digital platform to hear the views and experiences of individuals who have experience of accessing and receiving, or providing, non-surgical procedures.

Share your experience on Your Priorities

The platform closes to the addition of new views and experiences on Friday 14 November 2025.

Citizen Space

The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee is also running a structured call for views to help inform its examination of the Bill.

Read the questions and submit your views on Citizen Space

The structured call for views closes on Friday 14 November 2025.

Meetings of the lead committee

07 October 2025

Read the Official Report of the meeting

Watch the meeting on Scottish Parliament TV

Read the agenda, papers and minutes for this meeting

Stage 1 report by the lead committee

The lead committee will publish a stage 1 report before the debate on the general principles of the Bill.

Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill

Introduced: the Bill and its documents