§ 1. Mr. Rankinasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the increasing number of automatic machines which supply cigarettes, what steps he proposes to take respecting the sale of cigarettes to young persons in this way because of the dangers of cigarette smoking to their health.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Niall Macpherson)Under Section 18 of the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act, 1937, courts of summary jurisdiction already have power, if application is made to them, to order the owner of an automatic machine for the sale of tobacco, or the person on whose premises it is kept, either to take such precautions as the court specifies to prevent the machine from being extensively used by persons apparently under the age of sixteen years, or to remove the machine.
§ Mr. RankinIn that case, can the Joint Under-Secretary tell us how the Secretary of State is seeking to fit what has just been said into the campaign he is carrying on throughout the schools of Scotland to advise children not to smoke cigarettes? In what way is he fitting that into the law as it has just been stated?
§ Mr. MacphersonWe are bound to presume that people are aware of this law. I think the Answer I have given will bring it to the attention of many people.