Westminster
There are currently 59 Scottish MPs sitting at the House of Commons and the following tobacco-related issues are being addressed at Westminster:
Smoking in public places
On July 1st 2007, England introduced a new law to make virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England smokefree.
The Health Act 2006 - Chapter 28, Smoking & smoke free premises, places and vehicles
Smokefree England
Age for sale of tobacco
The age of sale for tobacco will be raised from 16 to 18 from 1 October 2007 in England, Scotland* and Wales but NOT in Northern Ireland until there has been time for a public consultation.
*The following instrument was laid in draft before the Parliament on 5 June 2007 for approval by resolution - The Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 (Variation of Age Limit for Sale of Tobacco etc. and Consequential Modifications) Order 2007 laid under section 40(3) of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005
Tobacco advertising
The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 was passed on 7th November 2002 and aims to:
"control the advertising and promotion of tobacco products; and for connected purposes" (source: Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002: Chapter 36). The Act covers:
- General advertising
- Promotions
- Sponsorship of sporting events in the UK
- Total advertising space for all tobacco companies is limited to an A5-sized area in shops, pubs and clubs
- Sponsorship of excepted global events; brandsharing
The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 prohibits the advertising and promotion of tobacco products in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including sponsorship. There are limited exemptions for specialist tobacconists and at the 'point of sale' in retail outlets/vending machines, both covered by regulations (see below). Separate regulations also prohibit 'brandsharing' - the promotion of a tobacco product by another product (eg clothing, perfume etc) or vice versa. Regulations prohibiting tobacco advertising on the internet came into force in September 2006.
The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 brings the UK in line with a European Directive which prohibits any tobacco advertising with a potentially cross-border effect across the EU.
Tobacco smuggling
Tobacco smuggling undermines the Government’s objective to reduce smoking and denies the Exchequer revenue to fund public services. Since the launch of the original Tackling Tobacco Smuggling Strategy in 2000 the illicit market share has been reduced from 21 per cent to about 16 per cent in 2003/04 , protecting £6bn in revenue. The strategy is being reinforced to clamp down further on smuggling, and to tackle the persistent smuggling of hand-rolling tobacco and the growing threat from counterfeit.
New responses to new challenges: Reinforcing the Tackling Tobacco Smuggling Strategy (March 2006)
Details of how the Government is reinforcing its strategy to tackle tobacco smuggling
More information on smuggling
Tobacco industry
In June 2000, the House of Commons Health Select Committee published a major report on
The Tobacco Industry and the Health Risks of Smoking.
All Party Parliamentary Group on smoking and health
The
All Party Group on Smoking and Health was set up "To exchange information and views with interested parties, and to debate developments, with the aim of encouraging a reduction in tobacco consumption and smoking take-up in the UK; to draw attention to the health implications of tobacco consumption".
The Chair is David Taylor MP (Lab);
Vice Chairs Angela C. Smith (Lab), Lord Clement-Jones (LD), Sir George Young (Con)
Treasurer Bob Russell (LD)
Secretaries John Robertson (Lab) & Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Lab)
For further information contact: Mr David Taylor MP, Room 213 Portcullis House, House of Commons, Bridge Street, London SW1A 2LW. Tel: 020 7219 4567.