Health and Care Act 2022

Key Points

• Advertising and public health: bans on online advertising of unhealthy food and drinks, and watershed protections for TV and on-demand services, with the start date deferred to 2023.
• Hymenoplasty offences: creation of new offences and enforcement across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, including provisions for cross-border arrest and related penalties.
• Gametes and embryos: new storage rules, including a maximum storage period and requirements to renew consent, with transitional provisions and rapid implementation for some elements.
• Cancer outcomes focus: amendments to prioritise cancer-related objectives and extend focus beyond treatment to areas like early diagnosis.
• Transparency in health care: reporting and publication requirements for payments/benefits in the health-care sector, with UK-wide application and devolved adjustments.

Progress

The bill completed its passage and received Royal Assent in April 2022, becoming law. Implementation is ongoing, with some provisions taking effect soon after assent (e.g., certain storage rules) and others dependent on future regulations or Acts (notably the advertising restrictions scheduled for 2023).

Voting

Across the main divisions, Conservative MPs largely voted in favour while opposition parties (notably Labour/Co‑op and Liberal Democrats) opposed. In the Lords, amendments were debated and addressed through government amendments and further scrutiny, but the bill ultimately passed and became law in 2022.