HC Deb 07 July 1964 vol 698 cc200-1
12. Mr. F. Noel-Baker

asked the Postmaster-General what reply he has made to a letter from the Advertising Inquiry Council enclosing a memorandum setting out the arguments for banning cigarette advertising on commercial television.

Mr. Bevins

I will send the hon. Member a copy of the reply. It was made clear in the letter that I do not propose to ban cigarette advertisements on television.

Mr. Noel-Baker

In view of the recent medical evidence, which is accepted by the Government, is it not fantastic that cigarette advertising on television should be running at a much higher level than before the Report of the Royal College of Physicians and that the sum spent on it is constantly increasing? Will the right hon. Gentleman look at this matter again and take action at the earliest possible opportunity?

Mr. Bevins

With respect to the hon. Gentleman, his assertion that expenditure has risen on this form of advertising because there is more advertising is not true. Expenditure has risen because the rates for television advertising have been increased. The amount of time devoted to cigarette advertising is less than it was during, I think, 1961 and 1962. This is a difficult question and it is widely recognised to be a difficult question, but the I.T.A.'s Advertising Advisory Committee, which has this subject under almost continuous review, has decided, for the time being at any rate, not to recommend a complete ban.

Sir T. Moore

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the Council is making any recommendations about the advertising of motor cars since they are just as lethal as cigarettes?

Sir B. Stross

Would not the Postmaster-General agree that we could overcome this difficulty in another way? Would he consider insisting that each cigarette advertisement on I.T.V. should be accompanied by a warning that the average loss of expectation of life from smoking one cigarette is six minutes?

Mr. Bevins

I understand that the Authority is quite prepared to accept some of the films being prepared by the Central Office of Information in that direction.

Mr. Noel-Baker

On a point of order. In view of the entirely unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I will seek to raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.