§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the operation of tanning salons following health education authority guidelines which recommend that nobody under the age of 16 should be allowed to use a sunbed; [120086]
(2) what assessment he has made of the potential risks to children under the age of 16 of skin cancer from using sunbeds; and if he will make a statement; [120087]
(3) what plans he has to ensure that sunbed salons are regulated to stop children from using salons in a harmful manner; and if he will make a statement. [120088]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government acknowledge the risks to young people of exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in all of its forms. On sunbeds specifically, the Health and Safety Executive has660W published guidance for operators and customers of solaria. The advice far people under 16-years-old is that they should not use sunbeds.
There is no conclusive direct evidence that sunbed exposure causes skin cancer from either of the recent reports on the effects of UVR from the National Radiological Protection Board's and from the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection.
However, by far the greatest source of UVR exposure is from the sun. That is why we have taken measures to ensure that parents are encouraged to protect their children. We have, with key stakeholders, developed the SunSmart campaign, run by Cancer Research UK. The campaign was launched in March and funded by the United Kingdom Health Departments. Campaign leaflets and posters have been sent to all general practitioner surgeries, secondary schools and health promotion units. Officials will discuss with Cancer Research UK the possibility of developing a new element to their campaign warning young people of the dangers of using sunbeds.