Part of Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:00 pm on 10 February 2010.
For the Bill to be effective it has to be enforced properly. We believe that local authorities are well placed to authorise officers to enforce the provisions of the Bill in their area. My hon. Friend the Member for Llanelli makes good points about the support for the Bill from young people themselves. She said that good quality enforcement is about good quality understanding and support from the public. I believe that the Bill will have that.
To answer the hon. Member for Boston and Skegness, no notice period is required. However, if entry is not given voluntarily, a justice of the peace warrant is needed. This is an on-notice application, although there are circumstances where notice of application for warrant is not given, in other words when it would defeat the very object of the Bill.
Perhaps I can reassure my right hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, South. Standards will be set by local authorities and their representative bodies which we work very closely with. My hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, North has done so too. However, if we get to that stage, the Department of Health plans to produce guidance to assist enforcement.
It is interesting to note that France has had a mandatory registration scheme since 1998, and that 80 per cent. compliance has been achieved. Given the combination of matters that will go on, and the awareness of the communities in which operators are based, we should be realistic about the challenge. We certainly do not expect a masters degree or a doctorate in order to ensure compliance.