Election defeats cosmetic surgery bill

The sudden call of an election by Prime Minister Theresa May has killed off a bill on cosmetic surgery regulation.

In April, Parliament in the UK finalised or discarded all remaining legislation still passing through Westminster.

Unfortunately the second reading of the Cosmetic Surgery (Standards of Practice) Bill 2016-17 was scheduled for 12 May 2017, by when Parliament had closed for business.

This bill was introduced to Parliament on 19 October 2016 under the Ten Minute Rule. This allows an MP to make his or her case for a new bill in a speech lasting up to ten minutes. An opposing speech may also be made before the House decides whether or not the bill should be introduced. If the MP is successful the bill is taken to have had its first reading.

This bill sought to make provision about the training, qualifications and certification of medical practitioners conducting cosmetic surgical procedures; to establish a code of practice for the provision of information to patients on the options and risks in relation to such procedures; to make provision about permissible treatments and the advertising of such treatments; and for connected purposes.