Public toilet provision for people living with stoma
There will be a Westminster hall debate on public toilet provision for people living with stoma on Thursday 18 June 2026. This topic has been selected by the Backbench business committee and will be led by Jim Shannon MP.
This reading list provides links to various publications related to public toilet provision for people living with a stoma. It has been prepared ahead of the Westminster Hall debate on the topic on 18 June 2026.
Articles and campaigns- Colonoscopy UK:
- Smiley Movement, Morrisons Makes Supermarket History With Nationwide Stoma-friendly Toilets, 10 March 2026
- BBC News, Retail giant backs Bristol man's stoma-friendly toilet campaign, 2 March 2026
- BBC News, 'My public toilet anxiety left me trapped at home', 15 January 2025
- SW Londoner, Lack of toilets on TfL leaves stoma users ‘trapped’ in London, 20 March 2025
- BBC News, 'I've seen one stoma-friendly toilet in six years', 22 February 2025
- BBC News, Mansfield mother calls for toilets to be made 'stoma-friendly', 13 March 2024
- UK Parliament petition, Introduce guidance on provision or adaptation of stoma-friendly toilets, closes 11 November 2026
- Public Lavatories: Stoma Appliances (4 September 2025, UIN 70255)
Asked: legislation to have shelves and sanitary disposal bins for stoma users in all new disabled toilets.
Answered: Referred to Building Regulations 2010, Part M which covers accessibility. Approved Document M provides guidance on accessibility and advises considering a shelf and sanitary disposal bin in disabled toilets.
- Public Transport: Public Lavatories (15 September 2025, UIN 75726)
Asked: Guidance on making toilets on public transport accessible for those with a stoma
Answered: For rail, there are accessibility standards published by the Department for Transport which includes accessible toilets. Toilets on trains must comply with the relevant accessibility standards.
For aviation, regulation and guidance exists for both airport and airline accessible toilets. There is also a requirement for the airline industry to consider disabled passengers when designing and refurbishing airports and aircraft.
Local transport, such as buses and coaches, is the remit of local authorities, which have duties under the Equality Act 2010.
- Incontinence
19 Jun 2025 | House of Commons chamber | 769 cc645-6
Discussion of accessible toilets for those with stomas, and local policy for those with stomas throughout the debate.