Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2026 [Draft]
17 Mar 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I will be very brief. Like others, I want to put on the record some issues with the bill that constituents have brought to me. I have been contacted by a number of people who have businesses in my constituency. They tend to be working-class women who have built up those businesses over a long period of time and have built up a skill base. They are concerned about some of the potential impacts of the bill.
I welcomed the minister’s engagement with me during and after stage 2. As she mentioned, an amendment of mine was agreed to at stage 2. I welcome Colin Beattie’s amendments that were agreed to in the previous group.
Although I have some sympathy with the amendments in this group, I do not think that I can vote for them, because I think that they will have unintended consequences. I ask the minister to say in summing up how the Government will work with small businesses and individuals to ensure that they are not negatively impacted by the bill. I felt that this was the best place to come in and make that request.
In the same item of business
14:23
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill. In dealing with the amend...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Group 1 is on the meaning of “non-surgical procedure”. Amendment 1, in the name of the minister, is grouped with amendments 2, 10, 8 and 9.
The Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health (Jenni Minto)
SNP
At stage 2, amendments were made to the definition of “non-surgical procedure” in section 1 and to the procedures set out in schedule 1 that are non-surgical...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
I declare an interest as a practising national health service general practitioner.My amendment 10 seeks to change the definition of “regulated healthcare pr...
Jenni Minto
SNP
I am grateful to Dr Gulhane for his comments. The healthcare exception exists to ensure that the bill will not regulate procedures that are provided by regul...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The question is, that amendment 10 be agreed to. Are we agreed?Members: No.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
There will be a division. As this is the first division at stage 3, I will suspend the meeting for around five minutes to allow members to access the digital...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The question is, that amendment 10 be agreed to. Members should cast their votes now.The vote is closed.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (Jenny Gilruth)
SNP
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect. I would have voted no.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Thank you. I will make sure that that is recorded.
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My apologies—my app would not connect. I would have abstained.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Thank you. I will make sure that that is recorded.
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app did not connect. I would have voted no.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Thank you. I will make sure that that is recorded.
ForBriggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con)Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The result of the division is: For 27, Against 68, Abstentions 15.Amendment 10 disagreed to.Section 4—Meaning of “permitted premises”
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Group 2 is on the meaning of “permitted premises”. Amendment 11, in the name of Ash Regan, is grouped with amendments 12 to 15, 29 and 30.
Ash Regan (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind)
Ind
The Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill seems to be a classic example of the way in which the Government has started t...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I will speak briefly in support of Ash Regan’s amendments, which I think provide a remedy to some of the inflexibilities around the bill as drafted that I ra...
Jenni Minto
SNP
Ash Regan’s amendments seek to provide alternatives to the permitted premises that are currently described in the bill. The proposed alternatives would weake...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Ind)
Ind
You have said how many businesses there are. How many individuals will lose their jobs because of the legislation? Have you done an equality impact assessmen...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Always speak through the chair, please.
Jenni Minto
SNP
Yes, of course we have done an equality impact assessment.There are a few points that I wish to make. First, I sympathise with Ms Regan’s intentions. I am su...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
I invite Ash Regan to wind up and say whether she wishes to press or withdraw amendment 11.
Ash Regan
Ind
I will press amendment 11. The bill will create a situation whereby practitioners who spend more than a year completing advanced aesthetics training will not...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The question is, that amendment 11 be agreed to. Are we agreed?Members: No.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
There will be a division.The vote is closed.
Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
Con
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted no.
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Thank you, Mr Mundell. We will ensure that that vote is recorded.