NEWPORT West Assembly Candidate Jayne Bryant has voiced her support for the Public Health (Wales) Bill.

The Welsh Government bill, which was presented to the Assembly last month, would ban intimate piercing of people under 16 years old, and would create a mandatory licensing scheme for practitioners of special procedures, including tattooing, body piercing and acupuncture.

The Labour politician had highlighted the need for laws to be updated in the aftermath of the public health scare at the Sun Tattoo Studio on Commercial Street, Newport, earlier this year.

Ms Bryant said "I wrote to the Health Minister on this matter, and strongly feel that we need action to ensure safer standards in tattoo and body-piercing premises.

"After the worrying incident at the Sun Tattoo Studio, the people of Newport - and Wales - need assurances that all special procedures will be carried out by appropriately-qualified practitioners, in the safest possible environment."