Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to reclassify sunscreen as an essential healthcare item which would be exempt from VAT to help reduce the incidence of skin cancer.

Under the current VAT rules, sun protection products are subject to the standard rate of VAT. High-factor sunscreen is on the NHS prescription list for certain conditions and is provided VAT free when dispensed by a pharmacist.

Expanding the scope of the current VAT relief would come at a cost to the Exchequer. While all taxes are kept under review, there are currently no plans to reduce VAT on sunscreen products.