Regulatory Review Group Minutes: September 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Professor Russel Griggs OBE, Regulatory Review Group Chair
• Craig Brown, Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health in Scotland
• Susan Love, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
• Fiona Richardson, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
• Douglas White, Consumer Scotland
• Robbie McGregor, British Standards Institute
• Richard Collin, UKAS
• Iain Hall, UKAS

Apologies

• Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Scottish Retail Consortium 
• David MacKenzie, Trading Standards

Items and actions

Welcome, Introductions and Approval of Minutes

Professor Russel Griggs OBE welcomed and thanked attendees for participating in this in-person Regulatory Review Group (RRG) meeting. Minutes from the previous meeting (27 August 2025) were agreed. 

Correspondence – High Fat Sugar & Salt (HFSS) response

Members were advised of a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care, Neil Gray, on HFSS. Members welcomed the content of the letter, but agreed that further detail was required on next steps. It was agreed that the relevant policy officials be contacted for further information on this. Members were also informed that work is ongoing in the Scottish Government on a common approach across the UK administrations. RRG secretariat will keep in touch with the policy team to determine when this policy area should return to the RRG.

Sign off on RRG Annual Report, RRG questions & Work Programme

Members discussed the draft RRG annual report and agreed that it was a good summary of the Group’s work over the year. Members discussed the purpose and audience of the Report and how it could be used as a marketing tool for the Group. It was also suggested that the report recommendations could outline the impact of the RRG, and how the Group had strategically drawn work across teams together. It was also highlighted that it could briefly include the likely priorities for the year ahead. Members were advised that the Cabinet Sub-committee will be updated on the work of the RRG. It was agreed that a list of members should be added to the report.

Sequencing

Russel updated members on the discussion with policy officials on sequencing of policies with a possible impact on housing, and that a letter had been drafted to provide advice to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing. This would be shared with members. It was outlined that, as a result of the meeting, policy teams were more aware of the cumulative impact of their proposals. Members were made aware that a conversation between officials and Ms McAllan was being arranged to discuss this further. Members agreed that a note should be drafted on the learnings from this exercise, emphasising the need for improved cross-working in the Scottish Government, and the structuring of consultations to enable more joined-up consultation with stakeholders.

Climate Change Plan

SG officials presented to members with an update on the key features of the Climate Change Plan, outlining that the parliamentary committee vote is likely in early October, with the draft Plan likely to be published in late October or early November. It was outlined that the intention was for the RRG to be engaged again when the Plan was published.

A discussion followed on the need for the Plan to outline regulatory and legislative changes and how this may impact businesses, with advice on how businesses could be helped to achieve this, including any incentives. There was discussion on the need for flexibility but also with a need for consistency on strategy, realism on what it will take, and the cost and difficulties which could be faced by both consumers and businesses. Members agreed that they looked forward to seeing the Climate Change Plan again and will engage in future discussion with policy officials.

Human Rights Bill 

SG officials welcomed the opportunity to meet with the RRG, and presented to members on the overview of, and reasoning for, the Human Rights Bill, outlining that the policy was currently under development. It was explained that introduction of the proposals would likely be in the next session of Parliament. It was outlined that a Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA) has been integral to policy development, and that work was ongoing on business impact and unintended consequences, with engagement with stakeholders.

RRG members outlined that they believed that the development of these proposals would be a long journey and emphasised the need for considerable engagement with the many likely impacted stakeholders. It was agreed that policy officials would return to the RRG with a plan on sequencing of legislation, how to achieve the intended goals of any proposals, who officials should engage with and how, with a view to RRG members being able to offer advice on next steps.

Next Steps/ AOB 

The next meeting of the group will be held virtually on 30 October 2025.