PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(5 January 2026)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Scotland's proposed regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures on England's regulatory framework; and, with reference to his Department's document entitled The licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England: consultation response, updated on 7 August 2025, what the timeline is for implementing the measures in that document.

Asked by:
Mr Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat)

On 7 August 2025, the Government announced its plans to introduce measures to improve the safety of the cosmetics sector. This included prioritising the introduction of legal restrictions which will ensure that the highest risk cosmetic procedures are brought into Care Quality Commission regulation and can only be performed by specified regulated healthcare professionals.

In addition, the Government also committed to legislating to introduce a licensing scheme in England for lower risk procedures through powers granted through the Health and Care Act 2022. Under this scheme, which will be operated by local authorities, practitioners will be required to obtain a licence to perform specified cosmetic procedures, and the premises from which they operate will also need to be licensed. To protect children and young people, the Government is also committed to mandating age restrictions for cosmetic procedures.

The proposals will be taken forward through secondary legislation and therefore will be subject to the parliamentary process before the legal restrictions, or licensing regulations, can be introduced. We are now working with stakeholders to develop detailed plans and intend to consult on proposals for restrictions around the performance of the highest risk procedures in the spring.

We are aware that the Scottish Government is bringing forward its own legislation to introduce measures to protect the public in Scotland from unsafe cosmetic practises. We will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government to foster opportunities for further collaboration and alignment.

Answered by:
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