Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) implementing a defined standard for asbestos testing for cosmetics and (b) banning talc in (i) personal care and (ii) cosmetic products.

Regulation is clear that cosmetics must be safe. To demonstrate compliance, a safety assessment must be completed by a qualified safety assessor.

Government intends to perform sector reviews of product regulation that will consider hazards that may impact consumer safety. To ensure that regulations reflects modern supply chains we recently introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill enabling government to create a proportionate regulatory framework that will protect UK consumers from risk.