The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee is currently undertaking scrutiny of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Non-surgical Procedures) Order 2026. This was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 10 December 2025, and subsequently re-laid in updated form on 9 January 2026.

The purpose of the instrument is to establish a licensing scheme for the provision of certain non-surgical procedures which pierce or penetrate the skin, and do not require the input of a health care professional. Procedures which are undertaken for health care treatment purposes are not included. The Order will ensure that these procedures are only provided from appropriate settings. It will designate the activity of the provision of non-surgical procedures as an activity for which a licence under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (“the 1982 Act”) is required from 6 September 2027.

The Order is related to primary legislation, namely the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill, which is also currently being scrutinised at Stage 1 by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee.

The policy note accompanying the Order clarifies the relationship between the Order and the primary legislation. It explains that “the Scottish Government has grouped procedures into those which require the input of a health care professional, whether for initial consultation and the prescribing of medicines or to treat any complications which might arise, and those which do not. The former category are the subject of the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill and the latter are to be subject to a licensing regime run by local authorities put in place by this Order.” The policy note concludes: “This Order and primary legislation form a suite of legislation which will regulate non-surgical procedures, ensuring they take place in appropriate settings where standards of hygiene and safety can be met.”

To support its scrutiny of the Order, the Committee contacted selected stakeholders to request written views on its contents with a deadline of 9 January 2026.