To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent children and young people from overdosing on over-the-counter medication. (S6O-03546)

The Medicines Healthcare and products Regulatory Agency, in combination with retailers, limits the sale of paracetamol to a maximum of two packets of 16 tablets.

The aim of those voluntary measures is to balance the need for people to access pain relief medicines against the dangers for vulnerable individuals to purchase, on impulse, excessive quantities of any single analgesic.

A community pharmacy may sell larger packs under the supervision of a pharmacist; it is illegal to sell more than 100 tablets or capsules of either paracetamol or aspirin in any one retail transaction.

I recently received correspondence from health professionals expressing concern about instances of young people overdosing on common painkillers such as paracetamol. They also expressed concern about the lack of data relating to the issue. When I wrote to the minister, she responded that National Records of Scotland does not publish an age breakdown of that data. What action is her Government taking to increase the availability of data in relation to drug overdose and age?

I thank Pam Gosal for her question and recognise the work that she has been doing, which she referenced in relation to the fact that she has written to me. She is correct that I responded by saying that National Records of Scotland does not publish an age breakdown of that data. However, I am happy to meet Pam Gosal to discuss that further in order to understand the concerns that she and her constituents have raised.