At an official sealing ceremony in Cardiff, the Public Health
(Wales) Bill became an Act of the Assembly. A Bill receives Royal
Assent when Letters Patent under the Welsh Seal signed with Her
Majesty’s own hand signifying Her Assent are notified to the
Clerk of the Assembly.
The radical Welsh law will extend smoke free areas to settings
including school grounds and hospital grounds, and introduce a
licensing scheme for procedures such as tattooing.
It will also place a duty on local authorities to produce a
toilets strategy; require public bodies to consider how their
decisions will affect people’s health; prohibit the intimate
piercing of children; make pharmacy services more responsive to
their communities; and place a duty on the Welsh Government to
produce a national strategy on preventing and reducing obesity.
First Minister of Wales applied the Welsh Seal to the
Letters Patent at the sealing ceremony, which was also attended
by Public Health Minister .
First Minister, , said:
“This radical legislation will help us improve the health and
wellbeing of the people of Wales.
“It keeps pace with emerging public health concerns and has a
strong focus on children, ensuring our young people grow up in a
Wales that helps them stay safe and healthy.”
Public Health Minister, , said:
“This wide-ranging legislation will have a significant, lasting
positive impact on health in Wales. It will make a real
difference to people of all generations, from children who will
be protected from the harms of second hand smoke and the dangers
of intimate piercing, to older people who will benefit from
better planning of public toilet provision.
“I would like to thank all of the partners who worked with us to
develop this Act, and look forward to continuing to work with
them as it is implemented.”
