HC Deb 08 July 1975 vol 895 cc317-9
10. Mr. Beith

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will now introduce legislation to ban cigarette advertising.

Dr. Owen

There is good evidence that cigarette advertising increases cigarette smoking and it is a fact that cigarettes kill many people each year. The most recent estimate is 50,000 premature deaths per year in Great Britain. The Government have not made any decisions as to whether or not to legislate but they are currently reviewing all the health aspects of cigarette smoking.

Mr. Beith

Does the hon. Gen-man recall that as long ago as 1967 the Labour Government indicated some willingness to introduce legislation? Does he realise that the longer he delays trying to work out what may well be an ineffective voluntary agreement, the more young people will be induced by advertising to take up smoking and thereby to risk shortening their lives? Does he not recognise that we need rapid action at the very least to deal with the disguised television advertising of cigarettes which is taking place even now?

Dr. Owen

I have never hidden from the House my view that this is a serious health hazard. Many people hoped that as a result of the discussions and decision in 1967 the industry would reduce its promotional activities and that there would be a reduction in cigarette smoking. We entered into negotiations with the industry in a serious attempt to make a voluntary agreement stick. I have had to write to the industry recently on its most recent response saying that I still think its response is inadequate.

Mr. Ronald Atkins

May I urge my hon. Friend to support any move for such legislation and, in view of the increase in alcoholism among young people, to include prohibition of advertisements for alcoholic drinks, particularly as—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The Question refers to cigarette advertising. I do not think that it is right to bring alcohol into it.

Dr. Owen

All aspects of preventive health are important. As my hon. Friend may know, the Government will produce a consultative paper on this subject which will cover not only cigarette smoking but also some other health hazards.

Mr. Boscawen

Although not dissenting in any way from the Minister's views on the health hazards concerned, may I ask whether he does not agree that there have been some rather curious results in countries which have imposed a total ban on cigarette advertising and that this matter needs to be examined seriously? In countries where there has been a total ban on cigarette advertising, there has been a paradoxical effect—an increase, not a decrease, in smoking. Will the Minister look into this?

Dr. Owen

This only emphasises the necessity to tackle this problem across a broad range of policies. It involves not only advertising but other aspects of promotion and also—most important of all—a positive message to help people to give up the smoking habit. We need to recognise it is an addiction and that a purely censorious attitude is not sufficient. There is a big job for health education. A whole series of measures needs to be examined.

Mr. William Hamilton

Does not my hon. Friend agree that far from the advertising of cigarettes decreasing in the last few years, it has actually increased with the sponsoring of sporting activities by the cigarette companies, which reaches into millions of homes every day of the week? Will he take up this matter with the sporting authorities?

Dr. Owen

This is obvously one aspect of the problem and a most serious abuse, which I have publicly mentioned. It raises the question of how a ban on television advertising can be overcome by using a sporting occasion—particularly, perhaps, the application of this in motor racing.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Will the Minister lay before the House the results of any research which the Department has done showing what has been achieved so far by way of reducing cigarette smoking as a result of warning notices and the steps which have been taken? Does he not agree that before we rush ahead into even more drastic measures we should be assured that we are doing some actual good to public health, bearing in mind the damage that might be done to newspapers and the few remaining cinemas, and the importance of the loss of sponsorship to popular sport, such as cricket, tennis and motor racing, to which he has referred?

Dr. Owen

I am disappointed if that is the official Opposition's view on the subject. When the right hon. Member for Leeds, North-East (Sir K. Joseph) was responsible for these matters, he took a very serious view of the health hazard of cigarette smoking and spent a great deal of time and effort doing his utmost to try to convince the industry of the need to have a voluntary agreement. I shall gladly put before the House any information on this matter, including the paper by McGuinness and Cowling of Warwick University. There are a number of other areas. The hon. Gentleman will be aware of the views of the Health Education Council, which is constantly calling for stronger measures.