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Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill

We have had a useful debate on this group of amendments, particularly on new clause 1. Before replying to the debate, may I welcome the contribution of my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough (Mr. Leigh) who, in his typically succinct and articulate way, explained that the issue should be about proper education so that people are aware of the risks and consequences associated with exposure to ultra-violet light, whether natural or artificial? That is a common cause across the House. If anyone is following the debate in the real world, they might decide that they are now going to put on protective creams, and not expose themselves to the sun too much, particularly on their first exposure of the year. They might decide to ensure that their children use protective sun creams, or to write to their Member of Parliament and campaign for the Government to reduce VAT on sun cream. I hope that the debate has generated interest outside this place, and thus become a means of promoting the educational cause that we all support. New clause 1 presents the opportunity to include a measure in the Bill to increase consumer protection for everyone who uses sunbeds, particularly those hired from sunbed operators. On the other hand, it could be argued that we should confine our concerns about sunbed users to people under 18, as the promoter of the Bill would argue, or to people under 16. As we rarely have the opportunity to legislate on such issues in the House, we should incorporate new clause 1 in the Bill, as that would be a major step forward. I am delighted that my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds) agrees with me. Although it might appear counter-intuitive for me to argue for a wider scope for regulation, I think we should deal with the big issues as much as possible, rather than try to confine our interests to the narrow ones. I am therefore delighted that the Sunbed Association very much supports new clause 1, and it made its position quite clear to the Government last Monday. I am disappointed and dismayed by the Minister's response to the new clause, as she said that we could not introduce such a provision without further consultation with the European Union. Previously, she argued that the measure would need the co-operation of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and the Secretary of State, the right hon. Lord Mandelson, but today she has a different proposition—that there must be consultation in the EU. I cannot understand why that should be a problem even if it is necessary, but if it is necessary, why were we not told sooner? I am sceptical about the Minister's claim, but even if it is correct, the Bill will not take effect for at least 12 months after Royal Assent, so there is more than enough time for the necessary discussions and consultations with the EU. Describing such a period of discussion as a standstill completely overstates the case, as the Minister did—not unusually—in saying that new clause 1 would cement a standard into primary legislation that could be altered subsequently only by more primary legislation. One reason why I gave more than two weeks' notice of my proposal was to enable the Government or the Bill's promoter to table an amendment. If the Government thought that such a standard might subsequently need changing, they could easily have sought to amend the Bill so that that could be done by regulation, yet they declined to do so. That might be because the Minister was preoccupied with other affairs at the time, but I do not know. It is typical that the Government have come along today with another red herring as an objection to new clause 1. I suspect that they are angry about the proposal because they did not think of it themselves, and because they realise that I am on the side of the angels in this debate, and that they are lagging behind on consumer protection for people who are exposed to higher-than-necessary UV from artificial sunbed tubes. I am absolutely convinced that the Bill would be better for the inclusion of new clause 1, and I am strengthened in that belief by the support of my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough, who is an extremely experienced legislator. I am concerned that the Minister, in reading out her scripted response, has not really engaged in the detail of what is involved in new clause 1. She asserted—wrongly—that no other EU countries have introduced similar regulations to those proposed in the new clause and she mentioned Spain, Finland and France. However, as far as I know, those countries have introduced similar legislation, so it is fanciful to suggest that there is a problem with it. The only problem is the lack of will on the part of the Government, an all-too-typical stubbornness and a reluctance to change a Bill when the case has been overwhelmingly made, not only in the House today but by people outside, not least the very knowledgeable and sensible members of the Sunbed Association. I commend the new clause to the House. Question put, That the clause be read a Second time. The House divided: Ayes 0, Noes 40.