The Health Social Care and Sport Committee is recommending Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill.
The Bill seeks to regulate non-surgical procedures including cosmetic treatments such as fillers, Botox, certain chemical peels and microneedling. In its Stage 1 report, the Committee says patient safety must come first and that it agrees it should be illegal for under-18s to access these treatments.
The Committee is supportive of the two-tiered approach to regulation being proposed by the Scottish Government. This would mean procedures deemed ‘higher risk’ could only be undertaken in permitted premises under supervision from authorised medical practitioners, while lower risk procedures would be subject to a licensing scheme to be introduced via secondary legislation.
The Committee acknowledges concerns expressed by some of those businesses currently providing non-surgical procedures about the Scottish Government’s proposed approach to regulation. To alleviate these concerns, the Committee asks the Scottish Government to provide appropriate support and guidance to help responsible providers to make the transition successfully to the new regulatory framework.
The Committee is concerned over a lack of clarity around requirements for clinical supervision of those procedures covered by the Bill, including minimum qualification requirements for those providing supervision and the scope of their clinical and managerial responsibilities.
On enforcement, the Committee calls for a staged approach which will give responsible operators time and support to meet the requirements of the legislation, while punishing those irresponsible operators who show no interest in complying with the law.
The Committee says the current sanctions set out in the Bill are insufficient and would not deter irresponsible providers from committing repeat offences. It has therefore called on the Scottish Government to introduce stronger penalties for offences committed under the Bill.
The Committee also highlights concerns that Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) may lack the capacity and resources to be able to enforce the Bill effectively. The Committee’s report seeks assurances that, in the short term, the Scottish Government will commit additional funding to enable HIS to enforce the Bill properly from the outset.
The huge variability in the quality of training and qualifications held by or available to those providing non-surgical procedures is highlighted by the Committee. It wants to see the creation of clear and appropriate standards for all practitioners.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee Convener, Clare Haughey MSP, said:“Our Committee believes patient safety must always come first and that’s why we are supportive of this Bill which will provide much needed regulation of the non-surgical procedures industry.
“We fully back provisions making it illegal for under 18s to access these procedures and believe the Scottish Government should work with the UK Government to improve and standardise training and qualifications so all providers meet a minimum standard.
“Healthcare Improvement Scotland must be given the resources to be able to enforce the law effectively in this area – and penalties for offences must be set at a level that creates a suitable deterrent.
“We acknowledge that there will be many practitioners who are concerned about the impact this new regulatory framework may have on their businesses. That’s why we’re calling on the Scottish Government to provide appropriate support and guidance to help responsible providers make a successful transition and continue operating in compliance with the law.
“Thanks to everyone who gave evidence to our Committee and helped inform our scrutiny of the Bill.”
On the 2nd part of the Bill, the Committee is supportive of updating the processes by which Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCDs) are processed in Scotland.
This would include allowing interested persons to request a review of a MCCD even when it has already been randomly selected for review.
Warm Home Discount has been extended so millions of families will receive the £150 energy bill discount for the rest of the decade
Eligible households will receive the £150 Warm Home Discount every winter until 2030/2031
Families across Britain to benefit, with major reform to ensure more Scottish consumers get what they are entitled to automatically
News comes ahead of reduction to costs in April, when households will benefit from an average £150 of costs off energy bills
Millions of families will receive the Warm Home Discount for the rest of the decade, as the government today confirms the continuation of the scheme through to 2030/2031.
The extension will see eligible households provided with the £150 rebate on their energy bills every winter until 2030/2031.
This follows the government’s expansion of the Warm Home Discount last year, adding 2.7 million families to the scheme and bringing the total number of eligible households to around 6 million. This is on top of the average £150 of costs being taken off households’ energy bills from April, through measures announced at the Budget.
Hundreds of thousands of Scottish billpayers will also benefit from reforms to the way the Warm Home Discount is administered, with around 345,000 families in Scotland set to receive the £150 rebate automatically next winter – an increase of around 250,000.
The onus has for years been on many Scottish households to get in touch with their supplier to apply for the rebate. These changes will simplify the process for the majority of those eligible for the discount in Scotland, bringing the scheme closer into line with that in England and Wales – where most recipients already get the rebate automatically.
A small number of households need to provide extra information to ensure they get the discount this winter (2025/2026). If they have received a letter advising them to call the helpline, they must do so by 27 February 2026 – now less than one month away.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Tackling the affordability crisis is the government’s number one priority.
“That is why we are today confirming to millions of eligible families across the country that they will receive the £150 Warm Home Discount every winter for the rest of the decade.
“That will give families much-needed peace of mind that they will continue to receive vital support in the cold winter months, as we take action to bring down bills for good.”
It comes after the government last week launched the £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, the biggest home upgrade plan in British history, to help millions of families cut their bills.
From April, households will also save an average £150 of costs on energy bills, with some consumers set to benefit significantly more – for example a high use electric storage heated household could save more than £400 on costs per year.
Ned Hammond, Deputy Director, Policy (Customers) at Energy UK said: “It’s very good news to see confirmation that the Warm Home Discount will be in place until the end of the decade which, particularly with the recent expansion, will provide continuing vital support with energy bills to millions of customers. The changes in Scotland are also very welcome as it will mean many more customers receiving the discount automatically without having to apply.
“We now look forward to working with the government on further changes to the scheme, including better targeting and tiered support, to ensure that is both directed to those most in need and provides the right level of assistance to really make a difference for customers struggling to afford bills.”
Matt Copeland, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at National Energy Action says: “The 5-year continuation of the Warm Home Discount is welcome news for low-income households and provides support that extends beyond this parliament. Alongside energy advice and wider support to help maximise people’s incomes, directly reducing energy bills can be a vital lifeline for vulnerable people who cannot keep their homes adequately warm.
“Six million households across Great Britain now receive the discount and the revised eligibility criteria give greater certainty about who will benefit each year. It is also essential that support is continuing for energy advice and for measures that reach people who are not within the benefits system.
“Without this, many households who cannot be identified through government data matching will remain without the help they need.”
ONE YEAR EXTENSION TO INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES FUND
The Scottih Government has confirmed that Investing in Communities funding will be continued for a further year.
The announcement comes as a huge relief to community projects facing massive cuts to their funding, with services being slashed and some organisations facing closure.
Scottish Greens raised concerns over the uncertainty faced by many of Edinburgh’s third sector projects at a council meeting last month.
A looming catastrophe has been averted with the announcement of one year’s transition funding while a replacement to the Investing in Communities Fund is developed.
Edinburgh Northern and Leith MP Tracy Gilbert took up the case of local community organisations and yesterday received welcome confirmation that fears have been allayed – at least for now.
She said: “Following budget cuts, I raised concerns with the Scottish Government about the future of the Investing in Communities Fund. Ministers have now confirmed a one-year transition extension for existing projects ending in March.
“This will help in the short term, but it falls short of the long-term certainty our community organisations need. I’ll keep pushing for sustained funding and stability for the services people rely on.”
Local MSP Ben Macpherson has also been on the case. He said: “This morning I visited Dr Bell’s Family Centre to discuss a situation that was of real concern.
“Using my decade of experience – including how to get things done for local organisations – I’d written to The Scottish Government about it on Monday and followed this up today, working actively as their/your local constituency MSP … I was therefore very pleased that shortly after the matter had been resolved.
“I know it’s been a worrying time for the centre and am relieved that immediate worries have been lifted. My team and I will keep working with the centre to explore more funding streams, and support the impactful work they do in our communities.”
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Edinburgh projects who received Investing in Communities funding (2023- 26) are:
About Youth, Calder Youth Action Project (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £105,822
Community Renewal Trust, Our Neighbourhood: A new hyperlocal Community Wealth Building partnership, City of Edinburgh, £300,732
Dr. Bell’s Family Centre, Start Well, Live Well: Wellbeing Support for Families in Leith, City of Edinburgh, £348,067
Edinburgh Food Social Cic, Changing Craigmillar Food Culture, City of Edinburgh, £325,847
Fresh Start, Fresh Connections, City of Edinburgh, £280,201
North Edinburgh Arts, North Edinburgh Arts Link Up, City of Edinburgh, £331,400
Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, Together We Can, City of Edinburgh, £350,000
The Venchie Children And Young People’s Project, Family Support Service, City of Edinburgh, £208,732
Transition Edinburgh South (Scotland) Ltd, Investing in Gracemount, City of Edinburgh, £302,196
Whale, The Arts Agency, Creativity, Place and Enterprise in Wester Hailes (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £332,494.
Foysol Choudhury MSP has called for greater clarity and faster progress on plans for a new East Calder Health Centre, following a roundtable meeting at the Scottish Parliament today.
The meeting brought together elected representatives, NHS Lothian officials, local campaigners and community leaders to discuss the future of primary and community healthcare provision in the area and agree next steps.
The Scottish Government has confirmed that work will begin to develop detailed plans for new primary and community care infrastructure in East Calder. This progress reflects the efforts of dedicated local campaigners, alongside the continued support of MPs and MSPs.
“I was pleased to meet with local campaigners to discuss the future of East Calder Health Centre and the next steps for our community,” said Mr Choudhury. “It is encouraging to see progress being made, and I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard to get us to this point.”
Mr Choudhury has welcomed recent correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray. “I am pleased that the Cabinet Secretary recognises East Calder as a key focus and that his team is working with NHS Lothian closely to ensure this project can progress.” he said.
He added that recent updates from NHS Lothian confirm that East Calder remains a central priority but stressed that significant questions remain unanswered.
“Local residents deserve clarity,” Mr Choudhury added. “We need to know when funding will be confirmed and when a timetable will be put in place for developing a business case. We also need transparency about the budget that has been allocated and what it will cover. Most importantly, we need a clear date for when construction of new facilities will begin.”
With the area experiencing rapid population growth, pressure on existing health services continues to increase. “While progress is being made, it is simply not happening quickly enough,” he said.
“The need for improved health facilities is urgent. Our community deserves timely action, not ongoing uncertainty. I will continue to press the Scottish Government and NHS Lothian for clear answers and real improvements on behalf of local residents.”
Government backs British pubs with a major package of support on business rates and licensing reform, recognising the challenges they face and important role they play in local communities.
Pubs will get a 15% cut to new business rates bills from April followed by a two-year real-terms freeze, as well as a review into the method used to value them for business rates. This is on top of support announced at Budget.
Government also announces a new High Street Strategy to help ensure retail, leisure and hospitality businesses can thrive, as the bedrock of strong communities.
The Chancellor is backing British pubs with the announcement of a major support package, as the government recognises the challenges facing the industry and the vital role they play in building strong local communities.
Pubs have faced significant pressure as their numbers have fallen by nearly 7,000 since 2010, a roughly 15% reduction and amongst the highest across hospitality overall. The sector has also raised concerns around the way they are valued for business rates purposes.
Recognising the value they bring and the challenges they face, the government is introducing a support package to save the average pub an additional £1,650 in 2026/27. Around 75% of pubs will see their bills fall or stay flat over the same year with the pub sector as a whole paying 8% less in business rates in 2029 than they do currently.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “If we’re going to restore the pride in our communities, we need our pubs and our high streets to thrive.
“We’re backing British pubs with additional support, and our new High Streets Strategy will help tackle the long-term challenges that our much-loved retail, leisure and hospitality businesses have faced. Thriving local businesses, bustling high streets and pride restored in our communities – that’s what this government is delivering.”
Other sectors continue to benefit from the £4.3 billion support package and from permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties.
The government is also launching a review into how they are valued. The review will be carried out by the government alongside businesses and their representatives as well as valuation experts, ensuring that any decisions that follow will be implemented for the 2029 revaluation.
Over the last decade, changing consumer habits, increasingly working from home and shopping online, combined with the pandemic and the increase in energy costs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have had a significant impact on all high street business.
Recognising this, the government is also announcing a High Streets Strategy to reinvigorate Britain’s communities. Working alongside businesses and representatives, this cross-government strategy will be published later this year and will look at what more the government can do to support our high streets.
This government is committed to supporting pubs build sustainable business models over the long-term. In the spring, the government will consult on further loosening planning rules to benefit pubs, helping them add new guest rooms or expand their main room without local planning applications. We will continue to engage with the sector to ensure other retail, leisure, and hospitality premises also have sufficient planning flexibilities.
The Chancellor also announced £10 million of funding for the Hospitality Support Fund over three years – upped from £1.5 million for one year announced last April – to support pubs across the UK.
The additional funding aims to help over 1,000 pubs provide extra services for local communities, including creating community cafes, village stores and play areas to help pubs bring locals and families together and boost their footfall. It will also support people who are furthest from the labour market to move into jobs in hospitality.
As part of further licencing reforms, pubs and other licensed venues will be able to open after midnight for Home Nations’ games in the later stages of this summer’s Men’s FIFA World Cup, meaning more time for fans at the pub while boosting takings behind the bar and supporting jobs in hospitality. The government is also bringing forward a consultation to allow them to open late for other big events such as Eurovision.
The government will legislate later this year to increase the number of temporary events pubs and other hospitality venues can hold to help screen other World Cup games or host community and cultural events.
This support comes on top of the £4.3 billion package the Chancellor announced at Budget 2025. This includes capping business rate bill rises by 15% for most businesses from April, or £800 for the smallest, next year as pandemic-era reliefs end and new revaluations take effect.
This government is committed to reforming the business rates system and has already begun the work. At Budget 2025, the Chancellor announced a permanent 5p cut in the business rates multiplier for over 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties, funded by a higher tax rate for the most expensive 1% of properties.
Stakeholders react to pubs support package:
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We are pleased the government has listened to our concerns, and those of publicans, consumers and MPs who rallied to defend our locals.
“This pub specific package will stave off the immediate financial threat posed by accelerating business costs and will help keep the doors open for many.
“This additional support will provide certainty for tens of thousands of pubs, with many seeing their bills frozen or falling and there will be a sigh of relief from landlords across the country.
“We will now work closely with government to establish a transformative long-term plan that works for all pubs through permanent business rates reform to ensure they remain at the heart of communities.”
Heineken / star pubs: “Although we will need to fully digest the detail, this announcement is a huge boost for pubs and will ease the immediate concerns of publicans up and down the country.
“I am pleased that the Chancellor has clearly listened to the many Star Pubs licensees who expressed their objections to the plans published at the Budget. This support is a welcome acknowledgement of the pub as the cornerstone of British society, and we are committed to working with the Treasury in the coming weeks and months.
“This support means publicans and their staff are able to focus on the day job – running great pubs at the hearts of their communities.”
Anna Leach, Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors, said: “The Institute of Directors welcomes today’s decision by the government to provide targeted business rates relief for pubs, recognising the intense pressures facing this sector. This support will offer much-needed breathing space for businesses grappling with rising costs and tight margins.
“More broadly, the business rates system remains in urgent need of reform to address the disincentives to investment embedded in the current framework, and we welcome the government’s commitment to take action in this area.
“That said, stronger policy design at an earlier stage would deliver greater benefits for business confidence, planning and costs. We reiterate our call for more detailed, sector-by-sector analysis of the impacts of tax changes to be undertaken alongside each Budget. This would allow concerns to surface earlier in the process, enabling risks to be identified and addressed before they crystallise.”
Michelle Ovens CBE, CEO & Founder, Small Business Britain: “It is good to see the Government widen the business rates support available to pubs and music venues – many small, independent establishments will undoubtedly welcome this additional headroom.
“We also look forward to supporting the work of the newly announced High Street Strategy to ensure retail, leisure and hospitality businesses can thrive. Given the crucial role these sectors play at the heart of local communities it is vital small businesses are given as much support as possible and that we see swift action taken to address existing issues.
“The long-overdue work to reform the business rates system, which the government has already committed to and reaffirmed today, will be especially key.”
Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said: “We welcome the recognition by the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the scale of the challenges facing the hospitality sector. They have listened to us about the acute cost challenges facing businesses, all of which is impacting business viability, jobs and consumer prices.
“The rising cost of doing business and business rates increases is a hospitality-wide problem that needs a hospitality-wide solution. The Government’s immediate review of hospitality valuations going forward is clear recognition of this.
“The devil will be in the detail, but we need to see pace and urgency to deliver the reform desperately needed to reduce hospitality’s tax burden, drive demand, and protect jobs and growth. We will work with the Government over the next six months to hold their feet to the fire to deliver this.
“This emergency announcement to provide additional funding is helpful to address an acute challenge facing pubs.
“The reality remains that we still have restaurants and hotels facing severe challenges from successive Budgets. They need to see substantive solutions that genuinely reduce their costs.
“Without that clear action, they will face increasingly tough decisions on business viability, jobs and prices for consumers. Those are costs borne by us all, and I hope the Government delivers on its promise to support the whole hospitality sector.”
The government will launch a review into dramatically reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales.
Consolidating the current model will make the police more cost-efficient, giving the taxpayer more value for money, while also ensuring a less fragmented system that will better serve the public and make them safer.
This is a moment to reset policing’s focus and return to its core principles – restoring neighbourhood policing and tackling local crime by delivering a structural overhaul to meet the demands of the modern world.
National Police Service
A new nationwide police force will be established to fight the most complex and serious crimes.
The new National Police Service will attract world-class talent and use state of the art technology to fight complex and serious crimes, lifting the burden on overstretched local forces and allowing them to focus on catching local criminals.
The service will bring the capabilities of the National Crime Agency, Counter Terrorism Policing, regional organised crime units, police helicopters and national roads policing under a single organisation.
As one force, it will be better equipped to share technology, intelligence and resources to stop the growing threat from crime that has become increasingly complex, digital, online and with no respect for constabulary borders.
A national police commissioner will be appointed to lead the force and will serve as the most senior police officer in the country.
It will enable local officers to spend more time supporting victims of crime and delivering neighbourhood policing, rather than navigating the forensics system.
This will give victims confidence as their case will be supported by world‑class specialist expertise, and the latest technology, no matter where they live.
Part of the new National Police Service’s remit will be to take on responsibility for forensics from the 43 local forces with direction set centrally from the new organisation.
Demand for specialist digital forensics means there are 20,000 devices awaiting analysis at any time. The service will deal with these backlogs and help the police keep up with the ever-increasing pace of change in technology.
Frontline policing will save £350 million by scrapping outdated procurement approaches, which will instead be used to fight crime.
Under the current localised model, each of the 43 forces often procure technology, equipment and clothing themselves, meaning 43 different teams undertaking the same work.
The new National Police Service will end this inefficiency, taking on the responsibility for shared services, equipment and IT.
The National Police Service will buy equipment once on behalf of all, saving money through economies of scale and reinvesting the savings back into frontline policing to go after criminals.
Accountability and standards
Ministers will be handed new powers to intervene directly in failing forces, sending in specialist teams to turn them around so they fight crime more effectively.
If crime solving rates or police response times are poor, the Home Secretary will be able to send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, so they catch more criminals.
The Home Secretary will restore the power to sack failing chief constables. New laws will hand ministers statutory powers to force the retirement, resignation or suspension of chief constables if they are poorly performing.
The forces will also be directly accountable to the public, with new targets on 999 response times, victim satisfaction, public trust and confidence. These results will be published and forces graded so communities can compare.
To further reinforce accountability, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire & Rescue Services will gain statutory powers to issue directions when forces fail to act on its recommendations.
Alongside these force-wide measures, the government will also ensure the highest standards from individual officers. To strengthen safeguards and ensure those unfit for policing are kept out of the profession, the government will introduce laws to impose robust, mandatory vetting standards for all police forces, ensuring the public is protected.
These new standards will enable forces to exclude those with a caution or conviction for violence against women and girls offences from policing.
Stronger requirements on forces to suspend officers who are under investigation for these crimes will also be introduced.
Police officers will be required to hold and renew a licence throughout their career so they learn new skills as criminal techniques evolve.
The Licence to Practise will ensure officers are best equipped with problem solving and technological skills they need to catch more criminals.
Drawn from other professions such as lawyers and doctors, officers will have to demonstrate that they have the skills needed to fight crime. Those who fail to reach the required standard, following opportunities to try again, will be removed from the profession.
Neighbourhood policing
Under new reforms, response officers will be expected to reach the scene of the most serious incidents within 15 minutes in cities and 20 minutes in rural areas, and forces will be expected to answer 999 phone calls within 10 seconds.
These new targets will ensure that all forces provide the same level of police response to crimes.
Currently, data on response times is collected differently across forces, and police are not held accountable if targets are not met. Reforming the system will create more transparency and consistency across the country.
Where forces fail to deliver, the Home Secretary will send in experts from the best performing forces to improve their performance, including when unmet response‑time targets are part of broader systemic failing.
To fight everyday crime, the government will ramp up its pledge to restore visible neighbourhood policing and patrols in communities through an extension of its Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.
This has already placed named, contactable officers in each neighbourhood. Under the extension, every council ward in England and Wales will have its own named, contactable officers, creating more local points of contact and giving officers a deeper understanding of the issues in their area.
Police forces will also recruit the brightest and best from universities in a new recruitment drive to cut crime and catch more criminals.
Modelled on Teach First, the government is investing up to £7 million to attract top students from universities into specially trained graduate neighbourhood police officer roles in England and Wales.
Retailers across the country will see a major crackdown on organised crime gangs thanks to £7 million in new government investment aimed at dismantling criminal networks from the ground up.
This funding will supercharge intelligence-led policing to identify offenders, disrupt the tactics used to target shops, and bring more criminals to justice.
Technology
The government is making the largest investment into state-of-the-art police technology in history, with over £140 million to be invested to roll out technologies to catch more criminals and keep our communities safe
The number of live facial recognition vans will increase five-fold, with 50 vans available to every police force in England and Wales to catch violent and sexual offenders.
The government will also roll out new artificial intelligence (AI) tools which will help forces identify suspects from CCTV, doorbell and mobile phone footage that has been submitted as evidence by the public.
A new national centre on AI – Police.AI – will be set up to roll out AI to all forces to free officers from paperwork, delivering up to 6 million hours back to the frontline every year – the equivalent of 3,000 police officers. This means more police on the streets fighting crime and catching criminals.
More tech specialists will work in police forces to outsmart modern criminals and put more fraudsters and organised crime bosses behind bars.
The move will enable police forces to uncover more vital hidden evidence on phones and laptops to secure more convictions of professional criminals and keep people safer from crimes such as child sexual abuse.
Public order
A new senior policing role will be introduced to lead the police’s nationwide response to public disorder, and galvanise and co-ordinate responses to major incidents.
The senior national co-ordinator role for public order policing will sit within the new National Police Service. They will not be responsible for local public order responses, which remain within the remit of chief constables, and instead sit at a higher strategic level of oversight, with responsibility for decision-making over the most significant national public disorder, such as the widespread disorder seen in the summer of 2024 and the riots that started in London in 2011.
While local policing responses will stay the responsibility of chief constables, the new role will provide national oversight and decision-making on mobilisation and resourcing, with enhanced powers to:
direct resources under mutual aid arrangements and require forces to contribute during major disorder
ensure mandatory data sharing between forces
set a national strategy for public order policing
monitor and implement relevant recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
Officer wellbeing
The government will expand the roll out of the dedicated Mental Health Crisis Line so all officers and staff can access mental health support, and have committed to its funding long term.
Officers and staff in front-facing and high-risk roles will also be offered psychological risk screenings each year so officers suffering can be signposted to the best support when they need it most.
Trauma tracker software will be made available to every force and ensure senior leaders can identify and support staff at the highest risk and intervene at an earlier stage.
Mandatory training around resilience and mental health for new recruits and supervisors will be introduced and treated as protected learning time.
Special constables
Experts in cybersecurity and technology are being encouraged to join the Special Constabulary, as police forces across England and Wales ramp up their efforts to tackle modern crime.
Since 2012, the number of special constables in England and Wales has fallen year-on-year to just 5,534 as of March 2025. This is down 73% from 20,343 in 2012.
To reverse this decline, the Home Office will work with policing to streamline the recruitment process for Specials, making it easier for people to volunteer, while maintaining consistent high standards of vetting and training. Steps will also be taken to ensure existing Specials are incentivised to remain in the role, by better integrating them into the wider police force.
Questions have been raised around whether the Ecocide (Scotland) Bill, as drafted, is the best way forward, says Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee.
In its Stage 1 Report of the Member’s Bill, the Committee say that they consider ecocide should be treated as a ‘grave criminal wrongdoing’. However, owing to the lack of time remaining to address significant issues raised in evidence, a majority (see note 1 in Background) agree that the Bill as it stands should not proceed further during this parliamentary session.
The Bill, introduced by Monica Lennon MSP (above) in May 2025, aims to create a distinct criminal offence of ecocide; to reduce the likelihood of future incidents; and help protect Scotland’s population, wildlife and ecosystems.
Its proposals allow for both people and organisations to be convicted, with custodial sentences of up to 20 years and unlimited fines.
The report highlights questions over the definitions of key terms in the offence as set out in the Bill and an alternative approach of amending Section 40 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.
It says also that there are issues around the enforcement of environmental law and concerns that existing legal sanctions are rarely used.
https://twitter.com/i/status/2014642871215751250
Convener of the Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee, Edward Mountain MSP, said: “The Committee commends Member in Charge, Monica Lennon MSP for her work on this Bill, which has launched an important discussion about how we deal with ecocide.
“We agree with the principle of having stronger criminal penalties for severe environmental damage. However, the concerns raised during our scrutiny must be fully explored and this would require detailed consultation with prosecutors, regulators and expert stakeholders.
“Realistically, we do not believe there is any prospect of the issues being addressed comprehensively within the time we have remaining during this Parliamentary session. As a result, it would not be responsible for us to recommend that the Bill proceeds further at this stage.”
A key question raised during scrutiny was whether, instead of creating a standalone offence, existing environmental legislation (Section 40 of the 2014 Act) could be amended to create an ‘apex’ tier for ecocide-level harm, with increased penalties.
Related to this, the report says the Committee was struck by the lack of prosecutions under the existing Section 40. To gain a better understanding of why this is the case, and irrespective of any future route taken with this legislation, the Committee recommends that the Scottish Government undertake a short, targeted review of Section 40, early in next parliamentary session.
The report says that concerns about the legal clarity and workability of the Bill were raised. Uncertainty around the definition of key terms such as ‘severe environmental harm’ along with the Bill’s treatment of harm caused over a period of time, omissions and courses of conduct, left doubt as to whether prosecutors would be able to achieve the criminal standard of proof.
Furthermore, the report says that the Bill in its current form could create legal uncertainty within the planning system and potentially have a ‘chilling effect’ on decision-taking and major developments. It recommends that any future legislative approach, should provide a clear defence for licensed or authorised activities, which would protect operators acting within permits and public authorities exercising statutory functions lawfully and in good faith.
The SNP government voted down Sarah Boyack’s Wellbeing and Sustainable Development bill yesterday (Thursday), despite promising to deliver such a bill in their manifesto.
Ms Boyack has been working on this bill since 2021, and it was formally introduced in March 2025.
The SNP Government initially put forward a consultation in 2023 on their own wellbeing and sustainable development bill before not progressing with it.
Ms Boyack highlighted in her speech that the Deputy First Minister had assured her that the Scottish Government would work constructively with her on her bill.
However, the government then came out in opposition to Ms Boyack’s bill.
Dozens of stakeholders and industry experts came out in support of the bill and took part in the consultation process.
The bill aimed to create a Future Generations Commissioner, to deliver guidance and have investigatory powers, to ensure that key policy decisions are made with the long-term interest in mind.
It would also have delivered a legal definition of sustainable development that public bodies would have to abide by.
Speaking after the vote, Ms. Boyack said: “I am extremely disappointed with today’s decision.
“The SNP promised this bill in their manifesto but now vote it down just weeks before an election.
“Instead of ensuring Scotland is a world leader in sustainable development, the SNP Government has kicked the issue into the long grass.
“I hope after the election, the new government takes this issue on board and finally cements joined up, long-term thinking into Scottish policy making and decisions.
“I am certain Scotland can and will be a world leader in sustainable development and deliver the change people urgently need but we must have a government that is willing to prioritise the long-term over short-term gains.”
The Commissioner has initiated legal proceedings following the Scottish Government’s failure to comply with the timescales set out in a recent decision relating to the James Hamilton report:
Statement on Scottish Government compliance with Decision 281/2025:
The Scottish Information Commissioner has instructed his solicitors to bring legal proceedings against the Scottish Government in the Court of Session.
This follows a failure by the Scottish Government to provide evidence of compliance with a December 2025 decision requiring the Scottish Government to disclose some information relating to the James Hamilton Report into the conduct of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and associated legal advice.
Following the Scottish Government’s failure to comply with an initial deadline of 15 January 2026, the Commissioner wrote to Ministers on the 16 January to warn of legal action if the Scottish Government failed to comply by 22 January 2026.
The Commissioner’s decision in this case requires the disclosure of some of the requested information, while also requiring the Scottish Government to issue a new response in relation to other information, which had been incorrectly withheld on cost grounds.
The Commissioner notes that the full and timely compliance with his Decision Notices is a key element ensuring the effective operation of FOI in Scotland. He will not hesitate in exercising his power to refer non-compliance to the Court of Session in circumstances where an authority fails to comply.
He has, therefore, instructed his solicitors to take the next steps in the certification process to the Court. This is the first time that the Commissioner has made such a report to the Court on non-compliance.
Once certified, the Court may then investigate the matter, and may treat a failure to comply as contempt of court.
COSLA has written to Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, on behalf of Scottish Local Government after the Scottish Budget which took place on the 13th January 2026.
COSLA Leaders have since met to discuss the 2026/27 Scottish Budget and Local Government Settlement. Our Leaders agreed that this year’s settlement is a very poor settlement for local government which fails to address the dire financial situation of local government.
Further, it was noted that the settlement does not offer the urgent financial support required for social care and social work.
