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Scottish Government consultations are published on this website: Proposed amendment to the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006 – Scottish Government consultations – Citizen Space

The consultation period ends on the 11^th Feb.

Postgraduate courses aim to boost recruitment of Environmental Health Officers across Scotland

Abertay University has unveiled three new postgraduate programmes in Environmental Health to address Scotland’s critical shortage of Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) within local authorities.

Read the full article here Abertay University launches new environmental health programmes to strengthen Scotland’s public health workforce

The annual report of a system that helps ensure safe trade involving Europe has revealed the scale and reasons for rejected shipments.

TRACES is the online platform of the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG Sante) in the European Commission, used for sanitary, phytosanitary and food safety certification. 2024 marked the system’s 20^th anniversary.

It supports the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants and plant products into the European Union; some intra-EU trade, and EU exports of animals, certain animal products,and plants.

Out of 5.4 million official documents and certificates issued in and sent to TRACES, about 65 percent were issued in electronic format. According to DG Sante, the system is an essential tool in the fight against fraudulent certificates and illicit trade.

Authorities can apply an electronic seal on official documents and certificates. This reduces the risk of fraudulent certificates being issued, simplifies the certification process and makes it easier to carry out and record official checks.

TRACES consists of several modules covering a range of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certificates and documents that are required with imported products.

Data on the module for movements of animals, animal by-products and some products of animal origin show almost 792,000 certificates were issued and 59 percent were e-signed. More than 122,000 consignments were checked on route or at destination.

In 2024, there were 5,800 reported cases of non-compliance with animal health rules and 1,929 breaches of animal welfare rules.

Under the Official Controls Regulation, a Common Health Entry Document (CHED) is required to record the findings of official checks on relevant consignments of animals and goods entering the EU.

CHED-P covers products of animal origin, animal by-products and derived products, and composite products. Most of them are issued for shipments of fishery products, meat, animal feed, and milk.

From more than 14,000 rejections, the main reasons for refusal of entry into the EU of such products were documentary and certification issues. Other problems included hygiene or temperature failures, a cold chain breakdown, and non-approved countries.

CHED-D is for consignments of food and feed of non-animal origin and food contact material. Most of them are for consignments of fruits, nuts and vegetables.

From more than 3,200 rejections, the main problem was chemical contamination. Other violations included fraudulent certificates, microbial contamination, or hygiene concerns.

“The steady annual increase in the number of official documents issued in TRACES (up by 8.5 percent from 2023) is a clear indicator of the platform’s central role in enabling trade in animals and products across borders, facilitating not just the movement of those goods, but also improving their safety, compliance and traceability,” said Sandra Gallina, director general for health and food safety.

The Scottish Government are consulting on an updated Agglomeration Noise Action Plan.  

This consultation applies to the draft Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland that covers the five agglomerations of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, and Glasgow, and seeks the views of those individuals and / or organisations that hold an interest in noise pollution.

The Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (“the 2006 Regulations”) requires the Scottish Government to bring about measures which are intended to avoid, prevent, or reduce, on a prioritised area basis, the harmful effects, including annoyance due to the exposure to environmental noise.

Agglomerations are defined by regulation as urbanised areas with at least 100,000 inhabitants and a population density equal to or greater than 500 people per km2.

Read the consultation paper. This consultation is open until December 31st.

Also, noise exposure levels are to be mapped within agglomeration boundaries and information made available to the public.

Agglomerations Noise Action Plan for Scotland – Scottish Government consultations – Citizen Space

The Scottish Government have published their draft Climate Change Plan to 2040. The plan sets out actions designed to reduce Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Scotland is already over half way to net zero having reduced emissions by 51.3% since 1990 – the largest reduction in the UK and faster than the EU average, using comparable statistics.

The new plan details over 150 policies and proposals building on this progress, including:

• setting a target to decarbonise building heat systems by 2045
• phasing out new diesel and petrol cars by 2030
• increasing woodland creation so that by 2029/30 18,000 hectares are planted every year, with 21% woodland cover in Scotland by 2032
• increasing peatland restoration by 10% each year to 2030

The independent Climate Change Committee has emphasised the necessity for shared delivery and collaboration between national governments given between 30-60% of the emissions reduction required in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will be in areas of policy that are mostly reserved.

A consultation on the proposals will run until the new year.

Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Raising awareness of climate action has never been so important, with communities across Scotland and around the world already being affected – through flooding, heatwaves and wildfires.

“This draft plan includes over 150 actions across sectors such as transport, heat in buildings and agriculture that are key to achieving Scotland’s net zero goal while supporting people to make and adjust to the changes required.

“It also describes how we will seize and fairly distribute the opportunities from the transition to net zero – from new jobs, inclusive growth and better infrastructure to improved public services and healthier people – thanks to cleaner air, warmer homes and wealthier communities.

“The plan does not ask the impossible of people. We will not sacrifice people’s health or wealth. 

“Through this consultation, everyone has a voice in shaping the final plan to inform future decision making and ensure that we reach our net zero in a way that is fair, ambitious and capable of rising to the emergency before us.”

A consultation on the Plan will run until 29 January 2026

The new research, commissioned by Global Action Plan and Hertfordshire County Council, finds that air pollution from domestic combustion contributes to nearly 2,500 deaths each year in the UK. Across the population, this adds up to over 27,000 years of life lost to early deaths. The report, produced by air quality and economic experts at world-leading environmental consultancy Ricardo, also suggests that air pollution from burning in the home contributes to new cases of a range of serious health conditions, including an average of 3,741 cases of diabetes and 1,493 cases of asthma in the UK each year.

Larissa Lockwood, Director of Policy & Campaigns at Global Action Plan – the charity behind Clean Air Night – said: “We all need to stay warm this winter, and we also need to think about the health impacts of our heating choices. An open fire or wood burning stove is the most polluting way to heat a home – air pollution from wood burning stoves is cutting lives short, putting people in hospital, and contributing to serious health conditions for people across the UK.

“It’s an uncomfortable fact, but the health burden of wood burning on the British public is simply too big to ignore. Existing measures to curb wood burning emissions are not tackling the burning problem at hand. The UK Government must take action to ensure everyone can access cleaner, greener and more affordable heating – including ensuring homes are properly insulated – as well as strengthening powers to allow local authorities to tackle air pollution, and providing clear guidance for the public on the health harms of burning wood and other solid fuels in our homes.”

Clean Air Night (22 January 2026) is brought to you by Global Action Plan with funder Impact on Urban Health.

New research from Public Health Scotland (PHS), conducted in collaboration with Sciensano* and recently published in Public Health, the journal of the Royal Society of Public Health, projects a surge in the number of adult cases of excess weight in Scotland by 2040. The findings highlight the scale of the challenge for both population health and future care services.

Current estimates from the Scottish Health Survey show that around two-thirds of Scottish adults are overweight, and one-third are living with obesity. These figures are disproportionately higher than other UK nations and among the highest compared to other European Union countries.

This new research analysed data from the Scottish Health Survey and found that, without urgent and sustained intervention, the number of adults who are overweight or living with obesity is set to rise significantly.

Dr Grant Wyper, Principal Epidemiologist, PHS, said:

“Our findings highlight the stark challenge ahead. We estimate 3.3 million cases of adult excess weight by 2040, with more pronounced increases for obesity. Between 2025 and 2040, we estimate an additional 118,000 female and 36,000 male cases of obesity.

“Furthermore, recent increases in excess weight among adults aged 65 and above are projected to intensify towards 2040, signalling growing and more complex pressures on Scotland’s health and social care systems in the coming decades.

“These findings should be seen as a clear warning, but the projections are not inevitable. Delivering on the Population Health Framework priority to improve healthy weight is vital.

“Excess weight is linked to a wide range of health conditions, including premature death, meaning that our findings point to the risk of future adverse impacts on population health and unsustainable pressure on healthcare services.”

Claire Hislop RNutr (Public Health), Organisational Lead – Food & Physical Activity, PHS, added:

“The time for incremental change is over. The evidence shows we must accelerate progress on bold, preventative measures that reshape the food environment and ensure healthier options are accessible, affordable and widely available.

“At the same time, we must strengthen comprehensive weight management and support services to improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland. This approach aligns with the ambitions of the Population Health Framework.

“The framework priority for improving healthy weight needs a whole system package of prevention and treatment measures to improve levels of healthy weight, alongside ongoing policy developments to create conditions for better health and reduced inequalities.”

Read the published research 

Read more about the Population Health Framework 

Read the Scottish Public Health Systems consensus statement on improving Scotland’s diet and weight

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries for 2024/25.

The figures show that an estimated 1.9 million workers suffered from work-related ill health during 2024/25, remaining broadly consistent with the levels seen in recent years.

While the recent rates of self-reported work-related ill health are similar, they continue to be higher than pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2018/19.

Mental health conditions remain the primary driver of work-related ill health, with 964,000 workers reporting stress, depression or anxiety caused or made worse by work in 2024/25. This is in line with the upward trend in recent years.

Work-related ill health and injuries resulted in an estimated 40.1 million working days lost in 2024/25, continuing to place significant pressure on both workers and businesses.

HSE Chief Executive Sarah Albon said: “Great Britain maintains its position as one of the safest places to work globally, built on more than 50 years of health and safety regulation. However, these statistics demonstrate that workplace health challenges persist, particularly around mental health.

“We remain firmly committed to protecting people and places, supporting businesses to create healthier working environments, and ensuring continuous improvement in workplace safety standards across Britain.”

The statistics also highlight the economic impact of workplace health and safety issues. In 2023/24, the estimated annual cost of workplace injuries and new cases of work-related ill health reached £22.9 billion, similar to the estimate for 2022/23.

Fatal and non-fatal workplace injuries in 2024/25 totalled 124 worker fatalities and an estimated 680,000 self-reported non-fatal injuries.

The recent Global Action Plan webinar on their research and the wider health and environmental impacts of domestic burning recording is now available from the event. The full report by Ricardo in partnership with Global Action Plan and Hertfordshire County Council here. 

Clean Air Night is on 22 January 2026. Their full comms pack is also now available on Trello, for information in the lead up to and on the day of Clean Air Night to spread the word about the health harms of wood burning.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) has published updated guidance on the public health management of elevated lead levels in drinking water.

It is available on the PHS website and can be accessed using this link: Public health management of elevated lead levels in drinking water

It was produced collaboratively by a multi-disciplinary Guidance Development Group (GDG) who used Scottish Health Protection Network (SHPN) methods. A full methods statement is available in the guidance.

This guidance is for all professionals involved in the public health response to elevated lead levels in drinking water.

Key messages about this guidance.

• This guidance updates and replaces the 2016 guidance titled ‘Public health action in response to detecting high levels of lead in drinking water: good practice guidance for health protection teams in Scotland’
• An equality impact assessment (EQIA) has been undertaken to identify and mitigate against any negative impacts on various groups that may arise due to implementation of the guidance recommendations
• Template letters for HPTs and local authorities have been developed to support use of the guidance and they can be modified by users
• The evidence summary used to inform GDG discussions and support the development of recommendations is also available

The Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee has launched a call for views on the Financial Memorandum of the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill. The deadline for responses is Wednesday 26 November 2025

For convenience, the specific questions to which the Committee is seeking responses below.

1. Did you take part in any consultation exercise preceding the Bill and, if so, did you comment on the financial assumptions made? 

2. If applicable, do you believe your comments on the financial assumptions have been accurately reflected in the FM? 

3. Did you have sufficient time to contribute to the consultation exercise?

4. If the Bill has any financial implications for you or your organisation, do you believe that they have been accurately reflected in the FM? If not, please provide details.

5. Do you consider that the estimated costs and savings set out in the FM are reasonable and accurate? 

6. If applicable, are you content that your organisation can meet any financial costs that it might incur as a result of the Bill? If not, how do you think these costs should be met? 

7. Does the FM accurately reflect the margins of uncertainty associated with the Bill’s estimated costs and with the timescales over which they would be expected to arise?

Before making a submission, please read the privacy notice about submitting views to a Committee. This tells you about how we process your personal data.

ASH Scotland Learning Event – Tobacco Industry Levy with Dr Rob Branston

Presentation with Dr Rob Branston (Associate Professor in Business Economics and Co-Director of the Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath) on the principles of a ‘polluter pays’ levy on the tobacco industry gave us food for thought and prompted a lively discussion.

ASH Scotland advocates for such a levy to be introduced in Scotland under devolved health powers, or at UK level, to hold Big Tobacco financially accountable for the damage caused by their addictive health harming products, and we’d appreciate your support for our campaigning on this issue, going forward.

We are delighted to let you know that a video of Dr Branston’s presentation is now available to view on ASH’s YouTube channel.