§ 53. Mr. Francis Noel-Bakerasked the Minister of Health what further steps he will now take to limit cigarette advertisements and to discourage cigarette smoking, in view of the proven hazards to health of this addiction.
§ 57. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Health if he will seek power 931 to take action against the rapid growth of cigarette sales promotion by means of gift coupons and against Press advertising of cigarettes.
§ 60. Sir B. Jannerasked the Minister of Health if he will make a statement with regard to his recent discussions with the tobacco manufacturing companies about restraint in advertising by such manufacturers.
§ 66. Mr. Peter M. Jacksonasked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement on his negotiations with the tobacco manufacturers to control and restrict the sums spent on cigarette advertising and other forms of promotion.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonI would refer my hon. Friends to my reply on 20th June to my hon. Friend the Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Mr. Coe). The review of future levels of advertising and of coupon schemes which I then said we should be undertaking with the manufacturers is at an advanced stage, but I am not yet ready to make a further statement.—[Vol. 730. c. 27–8.]
§ Mr. Noel-BakerCan my right hon. Friend say whether he will be ready on Friday, when we shall discuss one aspect of this subject on a Private Member's Motion? Secondly, does he not agree that it is quite illogical, having accepted the argument that advertisements are too dangerous to go on television, to allow them to continue to appear in the Press and other media?
§ Mr. RobinsonI am not yet in a position to say whether I shall be in a position to say something in the debate on Friday, but I think that perhaps we should await that opportunity, when we can deal with the matter at greater length.
§ Mr. AllaunHas not cigarette advertising on television been more than replaced by coupon promotion to the extent of £24 million this year? Particularly in view of the alarming figures of lung cancer which my right hon. Friend gave last week, does he not think that this is deliberately frustrating the attempts to reduce cigarette smoking?
§ Mr. RobinsonI agree that the number of coupon brands has increased, but I think that there is a significant 932 difference between television advertising of cigarettes and coupon schemes, although I am discussing the question of coupon schemes with the industry.
§ Sir B. JannerWill my right hon. Friend undertake that he will——
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. Mr. Speaker cannot hear the question.
§ Sir B. JannerI hope that it was not my fault, Mr. Speaker.
§ Mr. SpeakerNo. I was not referring to the hon. Gentleman.
§ Sir B. JannerI was asking my right hon. Friend if he would give an undertaking that he will do all he possibly can to stop the further production of new coupon brand cigarettes, because this is a very serious matter from the point of view of lung cancer being promoted by the smoking of cigarettes.
§ Mr. RobinsonI certainly deplore any form of sales promotion which brings pressure on people to increase or to maintain the number of cigarettes which they smoke. As I say, I think that we could perhaps deal with this at greater length in the debate on Friday.
§ Mrs. KnightHas the Minister seen the report issued today to the effect that cigarette smoking is very much more dangerous if the air is polluted? Is he looking at this side of it as well?
§ Mr. RobinsonThat is another matter, but air pollution and its effects have already been very exhaustively studied in medical research.
§ Mr. JacksonWould not my right hon. Friend agree that while tobacco advertising is allowed it renders nugatory the work of his Department in warning the public of the dangers of smoking?
§ Mr. RobinsonI do not think that it quite does that, but, as my hon. Friend knows, I am concerned to see the amount of advertising of cigarettes limited and, if possible, reduced.