Committee
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee 10 March 2026 [Draft]
10 Mar 2026 · S6 · Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Item of business
Tobacco and Vapes Bill
I was also concerned and saddened having seen the coverage of the fire unfolding on Sunday, the devastation that it has caused to businesses and the disruption that it will cause to those travelling into and around Glasgow city centre. It is essential that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is now able to undertake full investigations with its multi-agency partners to understand the nature of the fire and why it spread as it did. It is inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage, but I want to be clear that we will consider the issues around the fire with an open mind, and, as the convener indicated, a topical question on the matter will be taken in the chamber this afternoon.
In the same item of business
The Convener
SNP
The next item is an evidence session with the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health and supporting officials on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill supplement...
The Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health (Jenni Minto)
SNP
Thank you, convener. Since I provided evidence to the committee on 6 May 2025, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has continued to progress through the UK Parliament...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you, minister. We now move to questions from Sandesh Gulhane
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
I declare an interest as a practising NHS GP.Vapes are very topical at the moment, given what has happened in Glasgow, and I put on the record my thanks to t...
The Convener
SNP
Your questioning is straying quite far from the limits of the LCM. Is your question in relation to the LCM that the minister is here to speak to?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
Yes, I think that it is, because there is a broader question about safety when it comes to vapes and the storage of vapes—how and where they are stored—and w...
The Convener
SNP
Although I accept that those are important questions, I believe that one of your colleagues will raise them with the relevant minister in a topical question ...
Jenni Minto
SNP
I was also concerned and saddened having seen the coverage of the fire unfolding on Sunday, the devastation that it has caused to businesses and the disrupti...
The Convener
SNP
Sandesh, do you have any further questions?
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
Yes I do. Minister, you said that your position has not changed when it comes to vapes due to their use in helping people to quit smoking. Although vapes are...
The Convener
SNP
Again, minister, please make your comments in relation to the LCM that is in front of us.
Jenni Minto
SNP
As Dr Gulhane has indicated, the Scottish Government’s policy with regard to vapes has not changed. Vapes are one of a range of tools that smokers can choose...
Sandesh Gulhane
Con
Okay, thank you.
Emma Harper
SNP
Good morning. This legislation is about tobacco and vapes. There is a rise in vaping among young people, but there are also issues about snus products being ...
The Convener
SNP
Again, Ms Harper, the minister is here in relation to the LCM. Please keep your questions in relation to the LCM.
Emma Harper
SNP
My simple question is this: does the LCM not cover snus, and would further legislation be needed to incorporate that?
Jenni Minto
SNP
As you pointed out, those products are not currently captured by regulation on tobacco or vapes in the UK. As such, they are regulated only under general con...
Emma Harper
SNP
Thanks.
Gillian Mackay
Green
Given the range of powers that are in the bill and how far it will stray into devolved competence, and given that, so far, nothing has been done to tackle va...
Jenni Minto
SNP
Where we believe that elements of the bill will come into devolved competencies—and public health is a devolved competency—we would do the necessary work on ...
Gillian Mackay
Green
Thank you.
The Convener
SNP
I thank the minister and her officials for attending the meeting this morning.As is currently planned, this will be the final meeting of the Health, Social C...