Sunbeds Bill through to the next stage!

I am delighted that Members of Parliament have voted Julie Morgan’s Private Members Bill on sunbed regulation to the next stage.

I hope that today's vote will encourage more MPs to get involved in the debate and begin to feed through into a commitment by Government for radical action to regulate sunbeds.

BMA Cymru Wales has campaigned for the tanning industry to be regulated for many years. We want to see tough action on sunbeds - including unmanned and coin-operated ones.

Doctors have been concerned for years about the rising incidences of skin cancer and the access that people have to sunbeds for cosmetic use.

We are particularly concerned by evidence that children are using sunbeds. Children are especially sensitive to ultraviolet light, and just one day of burning as a child increases the risk of getting skin cancer as an adult.

BMA Cymru strongly believe that there should be a thorough regulation of sunbed operators, and that tighter controls will have a positive impact on skin cancer prevention efforts.

I look forward to watching the further progress of this vitally important Bill.