Talcum powder, asbestos contaminants and cancer

Early day motion 1718, tabled 12 April 2021 by Ian Lavery (Labour). Signed by 20 members.

That this House condemns the hypercritical and unjustifiable action by the American pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson which in 2020 withdrew from North American markets its talc-based baby powder, found to be contaminated with asbestos fibre by Government and independent laboratories, but continued to sell that product in countries all over the world including the UK; notes the billions of dollars that Johnson & Johnson has paid out to women diagnosed with ovarian cancer following use of their talc-based baby powder; commends the work of the Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum UK and its partners in highlighting the public health hazard posed by the sale of talc-based baby powder in the UK; and calls on Johnson & Johnson to withdraw that contentious product from sale in every country around the world.

Signatures by party: Labour 13, Plaid Cymru 3, Scottish National Party 3, DUP 1.