Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the safety of (a) over the counter and (b) prescription grade sun cream in England.

Legislation requires that cosmetics, including sun creams, must be safe. To ensure that products are safe before sale, a safety assessment must be completed by a qualified assessor.

Sun protection products which have been recommended by the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances (ACBS) for NHS prescribing for specified conditions are listed in Part XV of the Drug Tariff. Products which are not medicines or medical devices may be prescribed by clinicians. If a sun cream is prescribed that is not classified as a medical device it will still need to meet the safety requirements in the Cosmetic Regulation.