§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2000,Official Report, column 129W, on cosmetic surgery, what assessment he has made of the operation of regulations pertaining to advertising of cosmetic surgery; and what contact has taken place between his Department and the Department of Trade and Industry on the same.[126320]
§ Ms StuartOur response to the Health Committee's Fifth Report on the regulation of private and other independent healthcare made it clear that we agreed that normal advertising controls alone may not be sufficient in the field of cosmetic surgery to ensure that the information that patients receive is of an acceptable standard. Officials in the Department of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry worked together on this issue. The Care Standards Bill, as drafted, will allow us to introduce regulations covering standards of information given to patients in the independent sector, including promotional material.