A Bill to restrict the use of biocides (substances with antimicrobial properties) in consumer products; add biocides to the list of substances which cosmetic products, personal care products, and treated articles must not contain except subject to restrictions; require the Secretary of State to monitor the impact of biocides in these products on antibiotic resistance; grant the Secretary of State, and require the use of, powers to reduce the use of biocides which cause antibiotic resistance; prohibit marketing that makes misleading claims about products containing biocides compared to soap and water or alcohol based sanitisers; and for connected purposes.
House of Lords
24 January 2025
May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.
The Bill would curb the use of biocides in consumer products, ban certain marketing claims, and require monitoring of any impact on antibiotic resistance. It also proposes creating an advisory board to review evidence and guide policy, with powers to restrict biocide use and to regulate how products are marketed. Amendments in the Lords have sought to change or remove some provisions and, separately, to formalise the advisory board with broader representation and safeguards, with ongoing Committee-stage scrutiny.
The Bill is at Committee stage in the Lords. It originated with a proposed advisory board and marketing safeguards, but amendments in January 2025 show moves to modify or remove some clauses and to formalise a broader, more representative advisory board with safeguards and parliamentary scrutiny.
Generated 21 February 2026
11 Sept 2024
17 Jan 2025
Showing agreed, defeated, and withdrawn amendments.
Committee stage - line by line examination of the bill - is yet to be scheduled.
What happens next?
Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the bill - took place on 17 January.
An amendment paper proposes inserting a new clause to create the Biocidal Consumer Products Advisory Board, with representation from environmental groups, academia, industry bodies (including cosmetics and chemicals), and other appointees chosen by the Secretary of State; it requires conflict‑of‑interest safeguards, allows the Secretary of State to add duties by regulation, and provides for parliamentary annulment of those regulations. It also includes changes to Clause 4, removing subsections (2) and (3), and minor textual amendments to Clause 6 (including sanitiser wording and a numbering change).
An official Lords’ running list of amendments to the Consumer Products (Control of Biocides) Bill [HL] up to 22 January 2025. It records amendments proposed by Baroness Anelay of St Johns to Clauses 3, 4 and 6, including opposing Clause 3 standing part, deleting subsections (2) and (3) of Clause 4, and altering Clause 6 by removing sanitiser-related wording and changing a reference from 5 to 4.
The Lords’ running list shows three amendments proposed by Baroness Anelay of St Johns: (1) to oppose Clause 3 being part of the Bill, (2) to remove subsections (2) and (3) of Clause 4, and (3) to delete the text from “sanitiser” to the end of line 18 in Clause 6. The amendments are marked as new or altered and relate to the Committee of the Whole House stage as of 21 January 2025.
The Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee criticises skeleton, wide-ranging delegated powers in the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill and the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, including powers to repeal primary legislation and to create criminal offences by regulation, which would enable significant policy changes with limited parliamentary scrutiny. It recommends removing or tightly restricting these powers and demands full justification and stronger oversight (including possible affirmative procedure) for their use, along with a clarification of when the rail repeal power may be exercised. The committee finds no issues to raise with the Consumer Products (Control of Biocides) Bill.
The bill would regulate biocides in consumer products such as cosmetics, personal care items and treated articles by creating a Biocidal Consumer Products Advisory Board to review scientific and social evidence and advise Ministers. It would allow regulations based on the Board’s advice (subject to parliamentary approval), ban marketing claims that a biocidal product is more effective than soap or alcohol sanitiser unless proven, and establish offences and fines for breaches, with liability for company officers; it applies to England and Wales and would take effect on passage.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
