Tattoo Artists, Body Piercers and Cosmetic Clinics: Licensing

Opened the debate

Earlier this year, Wales announced the introduction of mandatory national licensing for tattoo artists and those working in body piercing, semi-permanent makeup, acupuncture and electrolysis under part 4 of the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017. The Health and Care Act 2022 gave the Secretary of State powers to introduce a similar regime in England. The beauty industry is valued at £3.6 billion with soaring popularity but carries risks that must be managed. There is no set training for beauty therapists, leading to physical and mental harm from poorly performed procedures. A survey found that 69% of plastic surgeons have seen patients with complications following temporary fillers; an estimated 900,000 Botox injections are carried out in the UK each year, with 3,000 complaints registered in 2022. The licensing scheme aims to reduce infections and poor working practices while creating a central public register for licensed practitioners and approved business premises. It is crucial that the scheme is introduced sooner rather than later; however, concerns have been raised about the consultation's bias towards medical input over the beauty sector. Local councils conduct regular inspections of premises but lack consistency in standards across England. Four key priorities must be addressed: design and implementation of a national licensing scheme, holding correct insurance, official guidance on training expectations, and an effective system for recording adverse incidents.

Government Response

I congratulate Steve Brine on securing this debate. The Government are committed to improving patient safety in non-surgical cosmetic procedures. We held a consultation that closed at the end of last month, receiving over 12,000 responses including from aesthetic practitioners and regulated health professionals. Over the next 12 months, we will work through these responses to set out exactly which procedures will be covered by the regulations; the education and training standards required for practitioners; types of premises allowed; licence fees if any; and who will enforce compliance. We need to consider all eventualities including treatments covered, permitted performers, age restrictions, inspections once regulations are introduced, etc. We aim to respond early in the new year with a framework for legislation followed by another consultation before announcing it formally.