§ 37. Mr. Storeyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take either to enforce or to amend the law about the sale of cigarettes to children under the age of 16 years.
§ Mr. RentonResponsibility for enforcing the law lies with the police. On the information before him, my right hon. Friend does not feel justified in proposing any amendment of the law.
§ Mr. StoreyIs not my hon. and learned Friend aware that to a large extent the law is ignored? Does not he agree that those who seek to enforce it find themselves in trouble with parents who grew up during the War years when the law was relaxed? Would not he further agree that in these days automatic machines make the law an anachronism?
§ Mr. RentonThat is not our information. If my hon. Friend knows of cases where the law has been broken, I hope he will see that the information is passed on to the police. Meanwhile, any other difficulty he has could usefully be referred to the Committee which is now sitting under the chairmanship of Lord Ingleby.