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 2
This Bill is at Stage 2 of the process to decide if it should become an Act.
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:
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:
Part 2 of the Bill changes the Certification of Death (Scotland) Act 2011. If passed, it will:
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.
Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill as introduced (849KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Explanatory Notes (243KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Policy Memorandum (209KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Financial Memorandum (244KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Delegated Powers Memorandum (177KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Statements on legislative competence (111KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Explanatory Notes (284KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Policy Memorandum (274KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Financial Memorandum (290KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Delegated Powers Memorandum (282KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
Statements on legislative competence (164KB, pdf) posted 08 October 2025
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.
The Presiding Officer has decided under Rule 9.12 of Standing Orders that a financial resolution is not required for this 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.
Research briefing on the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill
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.
On 7 January 2026, Parliament agreed motion S6M-20314, that consideration of the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be completed by 6 February 2026.
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.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 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.
Read the published responses on Your Priorities
The platform closed on Friday 14 November 2025.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee ran a structured call for views to help inform its examination of the Bill.
Read the published responses on Citizen Space
The structured call for views closed on Friday 14 November 2025.
Read the summary of evidence from the structured call for views and Your Priorities (309KB, pdf) posted 25 November 2025
Read the Official Report of the meeting
Read the Official Report of the meeting
Read the Official Report of the meeting
Response from the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health in regards to the Stage 1 report on the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill, 3 February 2026
Correspondence from Royal College of Chiropractors, 22 January 2026
Letter from the General Chiropractic Council, 19 January 2026
Correspondence from the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health to Karin Smyth MP, Minister of State for Health in regards to the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill, 16 January 2026
Letter from the British Chiropractic Association, 14 January 2026
See a full list of Stage 1 correspondence for this committee
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee published its report on 27 January 2026.
Stage 1 Report on the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill
If a Bill is relevant to more than one committee, 'secondary committees' may consider and report on the general principles of the Bill to the lead committee. Some Bills may also be considered by the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee or the Finance and Public Administration Committee.
Read the Official Report of the meeting
Read the Official Report of the meeting
The Committee published its report on 10 December 2025.
Read the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee's report at Stage 1
A Stage 1 debate took place on 5 February 2026 to consider and decide on the general principles of the Bill.
Read the minutes of proceedings (182KB, pdf) posted 05 February 2026
See further details of the motion
The Bill ended Stage 1 on 5 February 2026
At Stage 2, MSPs can propose changes to a Bill. These are called 'amendments'. Any MSP can suggest amendments but only members of the Stage 2 committee can decide on them.
MSPs can currently submit amendments ("changes") to the Bill. A daily list of amendments will be published each day that amendments are lodged or withdrawn by MSPs. Following the deadline for amendments, the Marshalled List and Groupings of Amendments will be published to replace the daily lists.
The deadline for MSPs to submit amendments is 12 noon on Wednesday 18 February.
Documents with the amendments to be considered and debated at the meeting to be held on 24 February 2026.
Marshalled List of Amendments for Stage 2 will be published before the meeting.
Groupings of Amendments for Stage 2 will be published before the meeting.
A Stage 2 'Marshalled List' is a list of all the amendments that have been lodged at Stage 2 (or, if the Stage is mid-way through, all those still to be dealt with). They are listed in the order in which they will be called by the convener and then decided on.
A 'Groupings' list shows how the amendments that are listed in the Marshalled List have been grouped together for debate. Each group contains amendments that are related to each other, even if they are at different places in the Marshalled List.