Skin cancer can take up to 30 years to develop

Labour MSP Ken Macintosh is calling for tanning salons to be licensed as well as a ban on unstaffed premises and on children under 18 using sunbeds.

Mr Macintosh said he had so far won the backing of 45 other MSPs.

The move, which aims to tackle the country's skin cancer "epidemic", comes after tanning salons reported a rise in business during the wet summer.

Mr Macintosh, Labour's schools and skills spokesman, said too many people were unaware of the dangers associated with sunbeds.

He added: "Scotland is in the grip of a skin cancer epidemic.

"The number of people suffering from this damaging and often deadly disease is rising year on year and we need to take action now.

"At the very least we have to protect our young people from harm and outlaw sunbeds for children."

Final proposals for a bill to require sunbed and tanning salons to be licensed have been laid before the Scottish Parliament.

Holyrood's local government committee indicated it was satisfied with a consultation which was carried out on the planned legislation.