Gillian Merron MP for Lincoln and Public Health Minister has today been interviewed by Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts for a BBC3 programme on the dangers and health damage that sunbeds can cause.

The documentary entitled "What would you do to get a tan?", will be aired in February, and looks at the culture of tanning particularly amongst young women and men, the extremes they will go to in order to obtain the perfect tan, and the terrible damage that sunbeds can do.

The City MP and the Government are backing a Private Members Bill, which will have its second reading in the House of Commons on 29th January 2010, calling for tanning salons to be banned from allowing under 18s to use sunbeds.

Gillian Merron said:

"It was good to meet Nicola and get her backing for the Bill which will help get the message across to young people about the terrible damage that sunbeds can do."

"I know that Nicola's documentary takes this issue seriously and it was obvious from our conversation how important it is to her to educate young people about the dangers of sunbed use."

"Banning under 18's from using sunbeds is about protecting children from the danger of skin cancer, which affects evermore people and claims too many lives every year.

"It's a shocking fact that children are allowed to use sunbeds, risking burns and cancer because they want a tan."

"The scientific evidence, and organisations like Cancer Research UK bear this out, and I am determined to take action to save lives."