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Food Standards Scotland (FSS) advocate the UK wide reformulation programme, managed by the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities, which has voluntary targets for industry to reduce levels of sugar, salt and calories in commonly consumed foods. They regularly report on progress, with the most recent publication in 2024.

In Scotland, Scottish Government funds the Reformulation for Health Programme which is managed by Food and Drink Federation Scotland. Since 2019, the programme has support SMEs operating in Scotland to take steps to improve the nutritional content of their food, including reductions in fat, sugar and salt. Examples of the success of the programme can be found via this link. Food Standards Scotland supports the Reformulation for Health Programme, including as a Reformul8 Partner, and through provision of grant funding to support businesses to undertake reformulation.

It is not possible to separately identify which charges and prosecutions for assault were specifically for assaults on doctors

The Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGORR) provides Scottish Ministers and senior officials with situational awareness, enabling them to make informed strategic decisions on the Scottish Government’s response to civil contingencies emergencies. SGORR provides this situational awareness, using relevant facilities, by supplying written and verbal briefings, organising meetings at official or ministerial level and making connections across and outside the Scottish Government, with SGORR working closely with responders at all levels in Scotland and with the UK Government where relevant to the response.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-34075 on 18 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government recognises that the third sector needs stability and certainty in order to thrive and to help the Government to deliver on its policy agenda. We have listened to the views of the Sector and have committed to progress Fairer Funding within the bounds of affordability. This includes implementing a multi-year funding pilot totalling over £120 million for 2025-26 and 2026-27, making improvements to the grant making process, providing more timely notifications, rationalising reporting requirements, improving grant conditions and securing better grant management data. In conjunction with third sector umbrella bodies and grantee organisations, officials are developing a system for evaluating the effectiveness of the Fairer Funding pilot with a view to identifying learning and making continuous improvement.

The Scottish Government is currently considering extending the ban on combustible external wall cladding to hotels, boarding houses and hostels. This will be informed by research and consultation, including relevant work undertaken by the UK Government.

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the research, and intends to do this at the same time.

The purchase of vaping and tobacco products is age restricted. It is illegal to sell to, or buy them for, anyone under the age of 18.

Our Tobacco and Vaping Framework, launched in 2023, is our roadmap to 2034 and a tobacco free Scotland.

Our Framework is underpinned by a wide range of legislation including legislation to support the Register of Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Product Retailers. We recently launched a new digital Register platform which will help to ensure accurate data and help Trading Standards with enforcement of current and future regulations.

A key strand of the first implementation plan of the Framework is the work that has taken place across the four nations on creating a smoke free generation and tackling youth vaping, which has led to the introduction of the UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Measures within the Bill include the introduction of a wide definition of a nicotine product, which is designed to cover products currently on the market such as nicotine pouches, as well as any future nicotine products. If passed with the consent of the Scottish Parliament the Bill will make it an offence to sell all nicotine products to under 18’s, stopping the next generation from becoming addicted.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, if passed, will also expand both the register and enforcement powers to cover herbal smoking products and nicotine products.

Scottish Ministers are concerned about the use of novel nicotine products such as nicotine pouches and, in particular, their appeal to children and young people.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, if passed, will introduce a range of restrictions – for example around age of sale and advertising- applicable to these products, taking on board concerns raised by members previously about novel products becoming more prevalent on the market and their appeal to children and young people.

The purchase of vaping products is already age restricted and it is illegal to sell to, or buy them for, anyone under the age of 18. Trading Officers are using every tool at their disposal - including fixed penalty notices - to ensure retailers are not selling vaping products to under 18s. Border Force and HMRC also have an important role to control the illicit vape trade and we continue to work with them on this.

We are currently the only nation in the UK with a functioning Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Product Register. The Tobacco and Vaping Framework set out our intention to consider how the register could be improved. A refreshed digital product went live in January 2025. This will ensure that the register is a more effective and efficient tool for enforcement as well as for engagement with retailers on compliance with current and future legislation.