Sunbeds bill

Protecting young people from sunbed use: Julie Morgan's Sunbeds Bill 

From left to right: Conservative MP Julie Kirkbride; Secretary for State Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP with Health Minister Gillian Merron MP; Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Minister Sandra Gidley MP. 

Cancer Research UK has been working with Julie Morgan, Labour MP for Cardiff North on her Private Member’s Bill to prevent under 18 year olds in England and Wales from using sunbeds. The Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill will also make it possible to go further through regulations to ensure that sunbed salons are staffed and to ensure that all sunbed salons display accurate health information.

We were delighted that the Bill has passed its Second Reading and Committee Stage in the House of Commons as this can be rare for a Private Member’s Bill. There was cross-party support for the Bill during these debates. The next stage will be the Report Stage. 

The parliamentary debates on this Bill have referenced the strong clinical evidence base behind the risk of using sunbeds and the research commissioned by Cancer Research UK on sunbed use by young people. 

The current parliamentary session is shorter than usual because of the forthcoming general election and therefore it will be difficult for this Bill to be passed before the election. As there is cross-party support for these proposals we are urging the parties to work together to try to ensure the safe passage of this Bill into law.

Read the Cancer Research UK Committee Stage briefing

For more information please contact the Public Affairs team