SMOKING AND HEALTH (Hansard, 13 March 1962)

THE EARL OF ARRAN
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)
My Lords, the great interest throughout the country in this Report to which my noble friend refers is encouraging. The Government accept the conclusions of the Report that cigarette smoking is a cause of lung cancer and bronchitis, and probably contributes to the development of coronary heart disease and other less common diseases. They have already taken action on the recommendation that there should be more education of the public, and especially schoolchildren, concerning the hazards of smoking. The Minister of Health and Secretary of State for Scotland yesterday, in circulars to 109 local authorities, asked them to use all their channels of health education to make the conclusions of the Report known and to bring home to the public the dangers to health of smoking, particularly of cigarettes. Free publicity material for this purpose is to be provided by the Government, and the Central and Scottish Councils for Health Education are being consulted about ways in which they can help.
As regards health education in schools, the Minister of Education and Secretary of State for Scotland have written to local education authorities urging that there should be fresh and positive effort in schools and educational establishments in this direction, and that teachers, non-teaching staff and visitors to schools should set a good example by not smoking in front of children. The other recommendations of the Report are under consideration by the Government.

§ THE EARL OF ALBEMARLE
My Lords, arising out of that Answer, may I ask how the Government propose to tackle the breach of the law in regard to selling to those under sixteen?

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, I think I should require notice of that question.

§ BARONESS HORSBRUGH
My Lords, would the noble Viscount say how the retailer is to decide whether the would-be customer is sixteen?

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, again I think I should require notice of that point.

§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGH
My Lords, I should have thought there was a law already on the Statute Book that is not being closely observed in regard to the matter of selling. But may I ask whether the steps, which one welcomes in the interests of the health of the children, are going to be left entirely relating to the evils of tobacco smoking. What is going to be done about the liquor traffic or the gambling traffic? How far are you going to interfere with the general freedom of the citizen? Let us have it all the way round, wherever young life is threatened.

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, that is a most interesting and important point, but I do not think I can answer it by way of question and answer. I think it may come within the framework of the debate on the Motion which my noble friend already has down on the Paper.

§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILL
My Lords, in view of the fact that this Report has revealed that the tobacco addict needs the help, advice and protection of the public health authorities, why do the Government continue to allow unscrupulous tobacco advertisers to spend millions in undermining the health of the people?

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, I think that that again is a matter of general criticism, which the noble Lady can put forward with great effect if and when my noble friend's Motion comes to be debated. But I should not be willing to accept the implication that everybody who advertises a product which is discovered to be deleterious is necessarily unscrupulous.

§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYE
My Lords, may I ask the Leader of the House whether the Government are going to support the exhortations by example? And will the Ministers of the Cabinet make a public declaration that, in support of this policy, they intend to deny themselves cigarettes?

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, my spies tell me that the Lord Chancellor has bought a pipe.

§ LORD TAYLOR
My Lords, can the noble Viscount say whether his Department is investigating why pipes are less harmful than cigarettes?

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, without notice, I am not sure whether the Medical Research Council is doing so. It is, I think, a matter which has been the subject of rather extensive research by one body or another.

§ LORD AIREDALE:
My Lords, I speak on this matter to-day with some feeling, being rather bronchial this afternoon, but I will try to make myself understood. Will the noble Viscount seriously consider the question of cigarette slot machines, which of course allow cigarettes to be sold all hours of the day and night to children 111 under the age of sixteen? Will he seriously consider banning these machines? Surely there are enough retail outlets for cigarette selling to adults, without slot machines.

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, I think the general question of paternalism, ill this or in any other form, is one which could usefully be debated on my noble friend's Motion; but I should not like to commit myself to-day.

LORD HAWKE
My Lords, will my noble Leader institute medical research into the large number of people who get lung cancer without ever having smoked in their lives?

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, I think that if my noble friend reads the Report he will see that that has already been done.

THE EARL OF ARRAN
My Lords, while I thank my noble Leader for his most helpful reply, may I express the hope that we shall be given a fairly early date to discuss the Motion?

§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAM
My Lords, I hope that, if it is convenient, it will be on Thursday, March 22.