Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Official Report 924KB pdf

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VAT Burn Campaign

The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-07973, in the name of Jackie Dunbar, on VAT bp urn campaign. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament welcomes the VAT Burn campaign that was launched by Amy Callaghan MP on 4 February 2023 to coincide with World Cancer Day, an international awareness day to encourage the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer; notes that the campaign is seeking the removal of VAT from sunscreen products of sun protection factor (SPF) 30 and above and with at least a 4-star UVA protection rating; further notes that the NHS advises people to use sunscreen that offers this level of protection, and understands that 90% of cases of melanoma could be prevented by staying safe in the sun; considers that taking such measures could both save lives and protect NHS budgets, including in the Aberdeen Donside constituency; understands that, in September 2022, Amy Callaghan coordinated the preparation of a cross-party letter, supported by 48 MPs from every major UK political party, to the former chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, calling for VAT to be removed from sunscreen products; recognises Amy Callaghan's personal experience of skin cancer, and believes that she has been able to draw on this experience while campaigning on the issue; notes the calls for people to show their support for the VAT Burn campaign by signing the petition at amycallaghan.scot/vat-burn, and further notes the calls urging the UK Government to remove VAT on sunscreen products of SPF 30 or above with at least a 4-star UVA protection rating.

17:09  

I feel so honoured to be leading the debate this evening and I am proud to add my name to the calls for the United Kingdom Government to scrap VAT on sunscreen of factor 30 and above because those products are essential health items.

I thank colleagues from my party and the Labour Party who supported my motion. Their support has allowed the debate to go ahead.

I also welcome Amy Callaghan MP to the public gallery. Welcome to our—your—Parliament, quine, and mak yersel at hame.

Members have had the opportunity this afternoon to drop in to chat with Amy about the campaign and I thank colleagues from across the chamber who have taken the time to do so. I also whole-heartedly thank Amy for her campaigning on the issue, as she is herself a survivor of skin cancer. She has been a relentless advocate and her work is hugely welcome. If her bill passes, it will, without a doubt, save lives.

I also thank Melanoma Focus, Melanoma UK, Young Lives vs Cancer, the Teenage Cancer Trust and Skcin, who have backed Amy’s calls and continue to work for this vital change to VAT to be enacted as a matter of urgency.

Cases of melanoma have more than doubled since the early 1990s. Each year, 16,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed across the UK, resulting in 2,300 deaths. As many as 90 per cent of melanoma cases could be prevented by people staying safe in the sun, including using sunscreens of sun protection factor 30 and above with a four-star ultraviolet A protection rating. Wearing sunscreen is one of the simplest things that we can do to protect our skin against the risk of cancer, but one in eight of us do not wear it purely because of costs. Some people just cannot afford it.

Amy Callaghan’s campaign will stop families being priced out of buying sunscreen by making it more affordable for everyone. Amy’s bill is a simple and inexpensive one that could save countless lives.

Australia, the US and Canada have already removed VAT-style taxes from sunscreen and there is nothing preventing the UK from doing the same. Cases of melanoma skin cancer are increasing but most cases could be prevented if people were sun-smart, including wearing factor 30 and above sunscreen.

Public polling indicates that many folk find the cost of sunscreen just too high. With the current cost of living crisis deepening and summer fast approaching, the cost is likely to deter increasing numbers of folk from buying sunscreen. The major retailers Tesco and Asda have recognised cost as a prohibitive barrier to folk buying sunscreen. To its credit, Tesco reduced the price of its own-brand sunscreens by 20 per cent in 2021 to offset VAT. That move from Tesco followed a consumer poll in which 57 per cent of respondents said that the product was too expensive and 29 per cent claimed that they would wear sunscreen daily if it was a little bit cheaper. Asda called for VAT to be removed from sunscreen as part of a sun safety campaign in 2013. I join Amy Callaghan in calling on all supermarkets to take steps to make sunscreen as affordable as possible, in the absence of action from the UK Government.

Removing VAT from factor 30 and above sunscreens will make them more affordable for folk and it will send a powerful message to the UK Government about the importance of skin protection. With the impact of climate change meaning increasing temperatures in the UK, the measure is becoming increasingly urgent.

In the US, sunscreen products have been federally exempt from VAT-style taxes since 2012. In Australia, they are exempt provided that they are principally marketed for use as sunscreen and have an SPF rating of 15 or more. Melanoma Focus believes that the reduced VAT revenue from the policy would be offset by reduced melanoma skin cancer cases and reduced costs to the national health service.

The NHS England Getting It Right First Time review of dermatology highlights high and increasing skin cancer demand, with 200,000 surgical operations being carried out for suspected skin cancer every year and skin cancer rates doubling every 14 to 15 years. It highlights the need for additional workforce to meet current and future pressures and it recommends raising sun and skin awareness, which is needed to reduce pressure on dermatology services.

The message is simple: remove VAT from sunscreen, save lives and remove pressure from the NHS, which, as we know, is already under increased strain. It is, frankly, shocking that the UK Government cannot see that benefit and that it has not taken action to exempt sunscreen from VAT.

We know that VAT is a policy area that is reserved to the UK Government, but there is action that the Scottish Government can take. I ask the minister whether she could write to her counterpart in the UK Government to request that VAT be removed on sunscreen of factor 30-plus or that this Parliament be given the powers to do so in Scotland. I also ask her to consider working with retailers in Scotland to explore actions that could be taken to increase access to sunscreen. Those are simple steps, but they will save lives.

I again thank Amy Callaghan MP for all her work on the issue. I add my support to the campaign and call on the UK Government to take the action that is needed. I look forward to hearing the contributions from members.

17:15  

I am especially pleased to speak in this important debate and I thank my friend and colleague Jackie Dunbar for bringing it to the chamber.

May is melanoma awareness month. Each year, 16,000 new cases of melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—are diagnosed across the UK and 2,300 people sadly die. It is a largely preventable disease, as 90 per cent of cases of melanoma could be prevented by staying safe in the sun. That is why the VAT burn campaign, launched by my friend and colleague Amy Callaghan MP, is so vital.

I will say a few words about Amy, who is in the gallery. She has beaten melanoma twice—while in her teens and in her early 20s. I will do my best not to embarrass her, but she is a remarkable young woman. She was my office manager when I was elected in 2016, until she won the constituency of East Dunbartonshire in 2019 in stunning style, beating the sitting MP Jo Swinson. I never doubted her ability to do that or to tackle issues head on. She has dealt with considerable health issues with amazing courage and determination and, if anyone can win this campaign, she can. Amy is a winner.

Amy’s VAT burn campaign aims to remove VAT from sunscreen products of SPF 30-plus and four-star UVA protection rating. We know that using an effective sunscreen is the safest way to enjoy the sun and protect the skin, but sun cream is expensive. As we heard from Jackie Dunbar, research suggests that one person in eight does not wear sunscreen because it is too expensive. As someone who has always used a factor 50 sun cream—I still have to limit my time in the sun to avoid burning—I know how necessary it is and have never understood why the higher the factor, the higher the price. It makes no sense.

Melanoma Focus, which is backing the campaign along with the Teenage Cancer Trust, Skcin, Melanoma UK, Young Lives vs Cancer and Melanoma Action and Support Scotland, states that factor 30-plus sun cream is a healthcare item and I whole-heartedly agree. There is no valid reason for retaining VAT on sunscreen products. The policy change would cost the Treasury in the region of £40 million per year, which is a drop in the ocean when it comes to saving lives. However, despite cross-party support, the UK Government has refused point blank to take forward the initiative of removing VAT. That is shameful.

In the 15 to 44 age group, melanoma skin cancer is the second most common cancer in males and the third most common in females. One male in 36 and one female in 47 will be diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer in their lifetime. Cases are increasing, but most cases can be prevented if people use a high-factor sunscreen. We are in the middle of a cost of living crisis and our summers are getting hotter, although admittedly not yet this year, so there will never be a better time to review the policy of paying VAT on a healthcare item.

It is good news that supermarkets Tesco and Asda have recognised that cost is a barrier to people buying sunscreen. As Jackie Dunbar outlined, Tesco has reduced the price of its own-brand sunscreen by 20 per cent, Asda has called for VAT to be removed and Morrisons has also pledged to pass on VAT reduction.

Removing VAT from sunscreen would not have been possible under European Union rules but is now possible. Perhaps that is the only benefit of Brexit. In the US, sunscreen products have been federally exempted from VAT-style taxes since 2012. In Australia, they are exempt provided they are marketed principally for use as sunscreen and have an SPF rating of 15 or more. It is high time that common sense and a duty of care to save lives prevailed and those healthcare items were exempted from VAT.

I again thank my colleague Jackie Dunbar for bringing the debate to the chamber and wish Amy Callaghan all the best with her commendable campaign.

17:19  

I start by taking a look at sun creams. Which? recommends Asda’s own brand, at £3.50 and Boots’ own brand, at £4, but it raises safety issues with Hawaiian Tropic, at £14; Green People, at £25; Alba, at £12; Tropic, at £28; Ultrasun, at £28; and Clinique at £26. If you are looking around for the best type of sun cream that works most effectively, it is not about price, but what is inside it. That is what makes it cost more, going up through the different factors.

I want to talk about skin cancer, which is abnormal cell growth on the outermost part of our skin: the epidermis. Ultraviolet light damages the DNA and triggers mutations, and that growth rapidly spreads. It is more pronounced in people with fair skin and people who are more susceptible to sunburn, but that does not mean that it does not happen to people of all colours.

Having a large number of benign moles, and a family history of skin cancer, are also risk factors. In addition, we need to make it clear that it is harder to diagnose skin cancer in people with darker skin and in children under 15. A lot of that has to do with the fact that, at medical school, all the things that I saw—from rashes and moles to cancer—were on people with Caucasian white skin.

There are different types of skin cancer. Some are very rare. The three most common types are basal cell carcinoma, or BCC, which is a pearly white lump; squamous cell carcinoma, or SCC, which is a pink lump with a rough or crusted surface; and melanoma, which is the most aggressive and dangerous type. As we heard, 12,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma annually, and about 1,200 malignant melanomas—the most serious type—are registered each year.

Sun cream alone is not the answer—it is very important, but we also need to be sun aware. We need to ensure that we spend time away from the sun, especially during the hottest times, and that we cover up by wearing a hat or long sleeves. As we do not get a huge amount of sun in Scotland, we want to go out and enjoy it as much as possible, but although that is tempting, we need to be wary of doing so.

I also want to talk about how people go about looking at moles. What do they need to do? If anyone out there has a mole that they are not sure about, I would like them to get a ruler and take a picture of the mole. That means that if they take more pictures of it, we know how much bigger it is. We need to be taking the A, B, C, D, E approach. A stands for asymmetry—you want to look at the mole to see whether it matches. B is for border—is it irregular, ragged or blurred? C is for colour—is the mole uneven or the same colour all the way through? D is for diameter—is it about the size of a 5p piece? E is for evolving—is it changing over time?

If those things are happening to you, we need to be clear that you should present to your general practitioner, because it is time for that mole to be photographed and sent to dermatology. A small spot can still be very significant, so it is very important to do that if you are concerned.

That is what the sun causes, so we also need to limit our use of sunbeds. The proposal to remove VAT on sun cream, which would cost the public purse around £40 million a year, is definitely worthy of further discussion. As I said at the start, however, it is important that we all wear sun cream, no matter what our colour, and we need to spend time out of the sun. People need to be educated on what is important when it comes to the moles that they have. I say to anyone out there: please present to your GP if you are concerned.

Finally, I declare an interest, as per my entry in the register of members’ interests, as a practising NHS doctor.

17:24  

I congratulate Jackie Dunbar on securing the debate and bringing this important topic to the chamber. My thanks also go to Amy Callaghan MP, who has been campaigning tirelessly for the removal of VAT on sunscreen products that are recommended by the NHS.

There are 16—forgive me, Presiding Officer; I am number blind. There are 16,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed each year across the UK, with 2,300 people dying, but we know that 90 per cent of cases of melanoma could be prevented by staying safe in the sun. We heard those shocking statistics from Jackie Dunbar in her opening speech. However, it is important that those numbers are highlighted and repeated in order to press home how crucial action such as removing VAT on products could be in preventing cancer and saving lives.

Prevention is what the campaign is about. Sunscreen is often seen as a luxury—something that somebody buys when they head off on holiday. In Scotland, we may think about it only after the searing pain of being sunburned, which has probably happened to all of us at some point. We may even have joked about it, but would we do so, if we knew? To quote Police Scotland, we need to “stay safe”. It takes only one blistering sunburn, especially at a young age, to more than double a person’s chance of developing melanoma later in life.

Education in a young person’s life is crucial to their understanding of the world; it gives them tools that influence their decisions throughout their life. As parents and carers, we like to be role models for our children and young people. We encourage them to drink water and stay hydrated; to eat healthily; and to get outdoors and move around and play, especially when the weather is nice. When we manage to get them off their devices to go outside, we teach them not to speak to strangers and to be careful of traffic, but do we always make sure that they use sunscreen? If not, why not?

On an MSP’s salary, £3.50 for sunscreen might be cheap, but for a lot of families that impacts on the weekly amount of money that they have to spend. When we talk about being safe in the sun, we know that sunscreen alone is not enough, but with the cost of hats, summer clothes and sunglasses, the costs for families can be significant.

Over the past wee while, the cost of living crisis has been high on the agenda. Energy prices have risen, interest rates have soared and people have endured an increase in the cost of their weekly shop. With the Met Office reporting that the average hottest summer day is between 4°C and 7°C warmer than previously recorded, it is vital that families are able to afford to protect themselves and their children.

A survey by Tesco showed that 57 per cent of adults think that sun cream is too expensive—29 per cent said that they would wear it daily if it was a little cheaper, and nearly a third of parents said that they cannot always afford to apply sun cream to the whole family, often deciding to apply it only to their children. As we heard, Tesco has already absorbed the cost of VAT on all products in its own brand range, which has meant a reduction of 20 per cent in the price. I know that Morrisons backs Amy Callaghan’s campaign too. As summer approaches, I urge families who are feeling the pinch with the cost of living crisis not to skimp on buying sun cream, and to remember that it is not the brand but the ingredients that keep you safe.

Melanoma UK projects that over 19,000 people in the UK are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma in 2025. It is vital that action is taken now to remove VAT on sunscreen so that protection is affordable and easy for young people and families, in order to save lives and prevent cancer.

17:27  

I thank Jackie Dunbar for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I, too, express my gratitude to my Westminster colleague, Amy Callaghan MP, for leading the VAT burn campaign, which is calling on the UK Government to remove VAT from sunscreen products that have significant health benefits.

There are 16,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed each year across the UK, and yet 90 per cent of the cases could be prevented by staying safe in the sun and using sunscreen that is at least SPF 30 with a four-star UVA protection rating or above.

Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, and yet sunscreen products are still subject to VAT, which creates a significant barrier to access. Cancer affects so many of our lives and our constituents’ lives, and making the simple and effective change of removing VAT from sunscreen products could have an enormous impact on people across the country, now and for generations to come.

The benefit of scrapping VAT on sunscreen products is well known, and the UK is a decade behind the US in exempting sunscreen products from VAT-style taxes. If the past few years of Covid and the past 13 years of Tory austerity have taught us anything, it is that we cannot put a price on our health. At a time when thousands of families across the country are facing incredibly difficult decisions regarding their finances, it is clear that making sunscreen more affordable and readily available is a commonsense approach that the UK Government needs to take to save lives. No family should feel that they have to forsake sun protection for the sake of cutting costs.

According to a 2021 survey, 15 per cent of adults think that sunscreen is too expensive, and 29 per cent said that they would wear it daily if it was a little cheaper. Nearly a third of parents who were surveyed said that they cannot always afford to apply sunscreen to their whole family, often deciding to apply it only to their children. Although it is incredibly welcome that some supermarkets have made the decision to absorb the cost of VAT and to reduce the overall price of some sunscreen items, it is essential for the UK Government to recognise that sunscreen is an essential product, not a luxury, and should be treated as such for VAT purposes.

I join many others in condemning the UK Government’s response to the campaign. The argument that Government funding would reduce if VAT on sunscreen products was scrapped is almost laughable, considering that the estimated cost of skin cancer to the NHS is £100 million. To put it in perspective, less than 0.5 per cent of the revenue that is generated by the Treasury from VAT comes from sunscreen products.

It is also massively disappointing that the UK Government has placed responsibility for these issues on retailers, many of which are small businesses and individuals, and many of which are suffering as a result of the cost of living crisis. The UK Government previously committed to reviewing VAT on sunscreen products, and I join others in calling on the Government to consider that commitment once again.

I also very much support the second component of the VAT burn campaign, which is to improve education and awareness around skin protection and sun. May is skin cancer awareness month, when prevention, detection and treatment of skin cancer take centre stage, and this debate is helping to give this important topic the political attention that it deserves.

Research from Melanoma Focus shows that 35 per cent of Scots rarely or never use sunscreen when in the UK, with only 15 per cent always using it. That is despite the fact that 44 per cent of Scots report getting sunburned at least once per year. In recent years, we have seen record temperatures as the climate crisis makes us more susceptible to heatwaves and intense periods of direct sunlight. As we reach the warmer months, therefore, raising awareness of skin cancer prevention and symptoms is absolutely essential.

I am proud of the number of initiatives that Scotland has introduced, such as sunbed regulations; improving sun awareness education for thousands of pupils; and increasing the number of clinical nurses who are specialists in skin cancer, including in Victoria hospital in my constituency. Thanks to the tireless and dedicated work of researchers in the NHS and the medical profession, and of campaigners and cancer charities, those initiatives have made a tremendous impact on the way that we approach skin cancer prevention and awareness.

It is clear that much more has to be done. The contributions to the debate have highlighted just how much support the VAT burn campaign has across all areas of Scotland. It is our duty to make these products more accessible and affordable to our constituents, and I am reassured to see that the Scottish Government’s priority is to improve the experience and outcomes for people who are affected by all cancers across Scotland. With UK Government support for the VAT burn campaign, we could continue to improve the lives of people who are affected by skin cancer and the lives of their families and loved ones.

17:32  

I, too, thank Jackie Dunbar for bringing this important debate to the chamber. It is right that we debate this topic, because it is important that we consider the campaign and discuss all options that would allow people to be safer in the sun.

As the motion states, the vast majority of melanoma cases

“could be prevented by staying safe in the sun”,

and so it is critical that we are always raising awareness of the key components of good sun safety practice. Those include, as has been mentioned, wearing clothes that provide sun protection, finding shade and taking extra precautions if you have any, or many, moles.

In addition, it is only right that we take the opportunity, in this debate, to look at where the Scottish Parliament has, in the past, legislated to tackle the incidence rate of skin cancers in Scotland. As members may know, the former Labour MSP and Presiding Officer of the Parliament, Ken Macintosh, delivered legislation that directly addressed the lack of clear and visible warnings surrounding the use of sunbeds, which we know has direct links to skin cancer, sunburn and other skin-related conditions.

That was important when the legislation was introduced, and it remains so now—possibly even more so, given that analysis of Britain’s high streets has revealed that businesses such as tanning salons are concentrated in areas of the country that already have high levels of deprivation and are perhaps targeting specific communities. It is important that we get a chance to discuss those broader issues in the chamber.

Does Carol Mochan share my view—I apologise for not bringing this up in my speech—that unions have done a huge amount of work to ensure that sun creams are used as part of the personal protective equipment in a lot of workplaces? Will she join me in thanking them for all the hard work that they have done in that regard?

That is lovely—thank you. I am sure that the member will understand that the next part of my speech very much addresses that particular issue, so her intervention is very welcome.

The role that employers play in protecting employees, in particular those who work outdoors during periods of high temperature, cannot be underestimated—as we all agree, it seems. During last year’s heatwave, the Trades Union Congress and the Scottish Trades Union Congress rightly called on employers to provide sun cream and advice on the need for protection from the sun when employees were working outdoors.

From a workplace perspective, the TUC argued that sun cream is PPE and should be considered as such, and that, although it is within the rights of an employee to refuse to take up the offer of wearing PPE—in this case, sun cream—for whatever reason, it should remain the case that employers are fully expected to still make that offer to the wider workforce.

When we think about the times when we may be at highest risk of damaging ourselves in the sun, we often think about being on the beach or overseas. However, the NHS rightly advises the public that they can burn in the UK, even—as we have heard—if it is cloudy, and that sunburn, as we have also heard, increases the risk of skin cancer. We must always be aware of the risk, no matter where we are and no matter what the weather is.

It is absolutely right, therefore, that we debate the matter and look at all the avenues, including the campaign that has been spoken about today, and I thank Amy Callaghan MP for the opportunity to discuss it in the chamber. We can, and we must, do better for people.

My party and I fully appreciate and acknowledge the importance of protecting skin from the sun. In this place, where we have the power to do something, we should always ensure that we do what we can. We must increase awareness, and every member has done so tonight. I thank Jackie Dunbar once again for bringing the debate to the chamber, and I thank all those members who have spoken this evening.

17:36  

I, too, thank Jackie Dunbar for bringing this important issue to the chamber. I also lend my support to our colleague Amy Callaghan for her very important VAT burn campaign to remove VAT from sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or above.

It is timely that we are debating the issue in the chamber this month, because it is skin cancer awareness month. As other members have mentioned, skin cancer is—despite what many might think—one of the six most common cancers to be found in Scotland, so it is right that we take the opportunity this evening to raise the issue and discuss it, covering the medical aspects, things to look out for, different brands of sun cream and so on.

I am somewhat of an expert on the topic, being a redhead who likes to spend as much time outdoors as possible, and also having two red-headed children. In our house, we are so into sunscreen that we spend time discussing the merits of different brands and comparing them against each other, because not all of them perform as well, or are as pleasant to use, as others. It is clear, however, that sunscreen is not a luxury item, which is why I support the campaign. It is very important to use sunscreen, especially for children, as we know that getting one very serious burn as a young child seriously increases your risk of going on to develop skin cancer later in life.

The debate is also a good opportunity to talk about sunbed use. Some members of my family have become addicted to using sunbeds, and I know that that is far from rare in Scotland. There is a dilemma there—with the weather that we have in Scotland, tanning is very popular now, and many people like to look tanned. I think that one reason why sunbeds are so popular in Scotland is that, because they contain some of the rays that would naturally be found in the sun, they can give people a boost to their mood. Nonetheless, we need to remind people that sunbed use, and indeed overuse, can be an extreme risk factor for going on to develop skin cancer of one type or another.

We have made mention of the weather so far. It sometimes seems, given Scotland’s latitude, that we very rarely see the sun, and when we do, we want to rush out and enjoy it. I think that that is the right thing to do, as being in the sun can make us feel better—as we have discussed—and it allows our bodies to generate vitamin D. Vitamin D is a very important vitamin—or a hormone, as it is sometimes even described—that can, when it is in our system, help us to remain at an optimum level of health.

We have learned in the past few decades that many Scots are seriously deficient in vitamin D, which may in part be because we have moved significantly away from a traditional Scottish diet that was, for my mother’s generation, heavy on oily fish. They used to regularly eat herring, which has a lot of vitamin D.

It is difficult to get all the vitamin D that we need from diet, so it is important also to expose our skin to sunlight, although, I stress, not to the point where the skin becomes pink or burns. Most of us will know how many minutes that will take or at what point that will happen to us, but it is possible to go online, check the different skin types to find our own and find out how long it might be appropriate to expose our skin without sunscreen in order to get some vitamin D into our system.

The important message is: get outside and enjoy the sun and it is even better if you can exercise while you do that. Do not let yourself get burnt. Sunscreen is important and is not a luxury item. I support this important campaign.

17:41  

I thank everyone who has made a contribution to this debate. It is a privilege to respond as Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health. I thank my colleague Jackie Dunbar for bringing the motion to the chamber today. I welcome Amy Callaghan MP to the Scottish Parliament chamber and thank her for driving this campaign, not only here in Scotland but in Westminster. As others have done, I praise her for using her personal experience of skin cancer to campaign for VAT to be removed from sunscreen products.

I am old enough to remember the “Slip! Slop! Slap!” campaign, which perhaps stuck with me because I am a peely-wally blonde-haired Scot who burns easily. As Amy Callaghan said during her debate at Westminster, the campaign originated in Australia and New Zealand and aimed to reduce unhealthy sun exposure by getting people to slip on a shirt, slop on sunblock and slap on a sun hat.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of tackling skin cancer. As others have said, malignant melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in Scotland, affecting more than 1,000 new individuals each year. That figure excludes non-melanoma skin cancers, which are far more common, with more than 12,000 cases registered in 2019.

I thank my colleagues for their important contributions raising the profile of this illness and informing people about the importance of sunblock and the need to be aware of the impact that sun has on our skin. It is great to see unity across the parties on the need to support the public in preventing skin cancer.

Ruth Maguire said that one bad bout of sunburn doubles the chance of contracting skin cancer and that other protections are as important as sunblock. She also highlighted the impact of the cost of living. David Torrance correctly said that we cannot put a price on our health and must take a commonsense approach.

Minister, could I ask you to adjust your microphone? It is struggling to pick up what you are saying.

I hope that you do not want me to start again.

Jackie Dunbar had a couple of asks. She wants me to write to the UK Government to ask it to make changes or to give us the powers to make changes. I am very happy to do so.

Rona Mackay talked about higher-factor sunscreen coming at a higher price and said that £40 million would be a drop in the ocean if it led to saving lives, which I absolutely agree with.

Sandesh Gulhane explained a very helpful way for us to monitor any moles that we might have by using the A, B, C, D, E approach and I thank him for that.

Carol Mochan mentioned the importance of raising the profile of the issue in the chamber, as well as the TUC and the responsibility of employers. As she said, we can and must do better.

I thank Ash Regan for highlighting the importance of vitamin D. I know a lot of people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, but we must ensure that we enjoy the sun safely, so I thank her for highlighting the online check that people can do to check the length of time that they can stay out without sunblock on.

As members are aware, cancer remains a national priority for the Scottish Government and across NHS Scotland. We are developing a new ambitious 10-year cancer strategy, which is to launch very shortly. We conducted a public consultation on what its aims and principles should be, and there was general agreement on priority areas, including placing an emphasis on the role of prevention.

The new strategy will take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care. Its vision will be supported by a three-year action plan.

As has been said during the debate, we know that the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. That is why the Scottish Government is committed to raising awareness of all forms of cancer, including melanoma, through our detect cancer earlier programme, which we continue to invest in. Members might spot the “early bird” posters across Scotland, as well as short videos, which I ask members to share on their social media if they have not already.

Work to develop a new earlier cancer diagnosis vision in Scotland that will outline the future of the detect cancer early programme is nearing completion. The vision will form part of the new cancer strategy. The programme helps to ensure that those with suspected symptoms of cancer are put on the right pathway at the right time. Our aim is to reduce later-stage disease so that cancer, when detected, is more likely to be curable.

We know that melanoma is often detected early and contributes to its high five-year survival rate of more than 90 per cent. We hope to continue that trend. However, the ideal is to prevent cancers in the first place. That is possible only for some types of cancer, but reducing risk factors to help to prevent cancer is one of our new ambitions.

As the motion recognises, the risk of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers are increased by exposure to ultraviolet or UV radiation—both natural sunlight and tanning lights. As Carol Mochan said, the Parliament introduced legislation to prohibit the use of sunbeds by those under 18 years old, including a requirement for proof of age. Secondly, the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008 states that written health information must be provided to any person before using a sunbed. Thirdly, it prescribes the content and form of notices to be displayed in sunbed premises.

I encourage anyone who is considering using a sunbed to consider its implications and the higher risk of skin cancer that it produces, especially among those under 25 years of age.

As Ash Regan talked about, when enjoying the outdoors, the best way to enjoy the sun safely and protect one’s skin is to use shade, clothing and sunscreen. Sunscreen does not protect completely from sun damage on its own; however, it can be useful for taking care of the parts of skin not under shade or cover. It is important to highlight the importance of using a sunscreen with at least SPF15, if not higher, and with four or five stars.

As members have said during the debate, the power to set VAT rates remains reserved to the UK Government. I echo my colleagues’ call on the UK Government to remove VAT on sunscreens with a sun protection factor of at least 30 and those with at least a four-star UVA protection rating. As I said, as a result of this debate, I will write to the UK Government.

As Amy Callaghan stated in Westminster in February this year,

“Removing VAT from sunscreen is not a radical idea; in fact, when asked, most people are surprised, if not shocked, that VAT is charged on sunscreen.”—[Official Report, House of Commons, 9 February 2023; Vol 727, c 399WH.]

I believe that this simple but necessary act is one of common sense, which emphasises to the public, as Ms Callaghan has said, the importance of using sunscreen as a sun safety measure.

I thank again those who have spoken in support of our fight against cancer. I reiterate to members and those watching the debate the Scottish Government’s enduring commitment to reducing the burden of cancer in Scotland through a wide range of actions, from preventing the onset of cancer and detecting it earlier to strengthening our treatment options and providing wider, supportive care.

Thank you, minister. That concludes the debate.

Meeting closed at 17:49.