Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of the marketing of skin bleaching on mental health and wellbeing.

We have made no such assessment.

The Government is committed to ensuring that individuals make informed and safe choices about cosmetic procedures. Since publication of Sir Bruce Keogh’s Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions, in 2013, we have implemented a number of important measures to that end.

These measures include continuation of an extensive programme around body image to help young adults to become more resilient to the pressures that they face. A copy of the 2015 progress report can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/body-confidence-progress-report-2015

The General Medical Council has also published guidance which makes clear the ethical obligations doctors have towards patients and the standards of care they need to provide. The guidance is clear that doctors must market their services responsibly and give patients all the time and information they need so that they can make a voluntary and informed decision about whether to go ahead. A copy of the guidance can be found at the following link:

http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/news_consultation/27171.asp