HL Deb 26 July 1971 vol 323 cc1-4

LORD PLATT: My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that a Bill is at present being promoted by the Canadian Government which will have the effect of prohibiting the promotion of sales of cigarettes by advertising and other means as from January, 1972; and when they are going to promote a similar Bill in the United Kingdom.]

THE MINISTER OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SECURITY (LORD ABERDARE)

My Lords, the Government are indeed aware of the far-reaching measures proposed in this Bill and will be interested to see the outcome of the debates on it in the autumn. As your Lordships are aware, we have only recently entered into a voluntary agreement with the tobacco manufacturers, and it is too early to assess the effectiveness of warning notices on cigarette packets and advertisements.

LORD PLATT

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his courteous reply, may I say that I cannot really consider it helpful, in view of the seriousness of the problem? Can he tell us whether the inter-departmental studies, to which he referred in the debate in March, have yet come to any conclusions?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, the inter-departmental discussions are still in progress and have not yet been finalised.

LORD AMULREE

My Lords, can the noble Lord say whether the Government are proposing to bring any encouragement to bear on local authorities to check or stop smoking in places of public entertainment?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, my right honourable friend is in touch with various bodies to see what can be achieved. He has been in touch with the broadcasting authorities, and also with London Transport. I am not sure whether he has been in touch with the local authorities. I certainly take note of what the noble Lord has said.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that this is the first time that Canada has set us an example in the field of preventive medicine?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, that may be so. We still have to see what the result of the Canadian Bill is. It is not yet law, and nobody knows how it will affect smoking. Smoking, like drinking, is a personal matter and more might be achieved by persuading people to give up smoking, than by attempting to do so by legislation.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord a supplementary question? How can he regard it as a"personal matter ", in view of the fact that the individual who smokes pollutes the air for those around him to breath?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, that is a wider question. I do not think anybody has suggested that there is a danger of air pollution from people smoking.

BARONESS BIRK

My Lords, the Minister mentioned persuading people to give up smoking. Is he aware—I am sure he is—that the Health Education Council, of which I have the honour to be Chairman, has a budget of about £100,000 a year to combat the advertising of the tobacco companies, which is in excess of £15 million to £16 million a year?

LORD ABERDARE

Yes, my Lords; I am fully aware of the remarks of the noble Baroness. In future the advertisements will carry a warning, and therefore to some extent they will be helping our campaign to draw the attention of people to the dangers of smoking.

LORD BURNTWOOD

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that if smoking is a personal matter so is lung cancer? Are this Government, like previous Governments, bothered about the loss of revenue which a reduction in smoking might cause?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, the effect on the revenue is one of the matters being considered in the inter-departmental discussions.

LORD LEATHERLAND

My Lords, as million of our people will soon be smoking French cigarettes, will the Government approach the French cigarette manufacturers to see whether they will print the same warning as the English manufacturers on their cigarette packets?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I think that we are trespassing on a debate which is about to take place over the next three days.

VISCOUNT ST. DAVIDS

My Lords, why are the Government not aware of the danger of smoking to the health of other people? Are the Government aware that, as an asthmatic, I am barred from going into certain places in which there is a certain density of smoke?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I am aware that certain people, like the noble Viscount, suffer from this particular complaint. Is he suggesting further measures in certain particular areas, such as cinemas and so forth?

LORD SLATER

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that a previous Tory Chancellor stated that the amount of revenue from taxation on cigarettes and drinks enabled the Health and Education Services in this country to be developed? Have the Government in mind anything to replace the revenue that comes from these sources?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, this is a matter that is being discussed interdepartmentally.

LORD SOMERS

My Lords, does my noble friend feel that there is any risk that the slowing down in cigarette smoking may lead to an increase in a much worse evil—that of drug taking?

LORD ABERDARE

My Lords, I take note of the views of my noble friend, but I do not think that that situation is very likely to arise.

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