HL Deb 19 July 1974 vol 353 cc1312-5

11.8 a.m.

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 the British Grand Prix, which is due to be televised from Brand's Hatch on July 20, contains eight cars promoting cigarette brands and is sponsored by a major cigarette company; whether this renders the voluntary agreement with cigarette manufacturers valueless; or whether it is Her Majesty's Government's wish that the agreement should not apply to sponsored events.

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, the noble Lord and Members of this House will know that an agreement exists between the Government and the cigarette manufacturers. It is a voluntary agreement, but does not cover the sponsorship of motor-racing. Noble Lords will be interested to know that my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health saw members of the industry this week and told them quite definitely how much he deprecated using cars for the purpose of advertising cigarettes. They are in the process of thinking about the position.

LORD PLATT

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply, which in many ways is a satisfactory one. But is that the answer to my Question, as to whether this renders the voluntary agreement valueless if this kind of advertising can go on? May I ask one supplementary question. Do Her Majesty's Government know that approximately a year ago, when a Grand Prix was run in Germany cigarette advertising on motorcars was withdrawn at the last minute through pressure on the authorities?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I do not think I can add very much to what I have said already. The matter to which the noble Lord, Lord Platt, draws attention is outside the voluntary agreement at the moment, but we are trying to include it in the voluntary agreement. The Government are watching this very carefully, and have had discussions about it. We hope something satisfactory will come out of it

LORD REIGATE

My Lords, will the noble Lord draw the attention of his honourable friend to the fact that many of the British cigarette manufacturers are using advertising space in magazines which are printed abroad, but are on sale in this country, such as Time magazine, without including the Government health warning?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, the attention of the Government has been called to that matter. We are looking into it. Some of those magazines appear on English planes, but, of course, they are all planes, which are serving not only this country but the world as a whole.

LORD REIGATE

My Lords, with respect to the noble Lord, is he aware that the magazines are on sale in this country?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, we are aware of that.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, in view of the fact that it has now been definitely proved that babies born to mothers who smoke are definitely undersized and debilitated, compared with babies born to non-smoking mothers, will the Government now pursue this anti-smoking campaign with far more vigour and determination than their predecessors?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I think the Government would take the view that they are pursuing this with a great deal of vigour, but I will call my right honourable friend's attention to the remarks of my noble friend Lord Segal.

LORD CHAMPION

My Lords, I wonder whether the Government have any information at all about the effect which this advertising, or failure to advertise or give warning, has on smokers? It seems to me that it makes not a scrap of difference whether or not you read this on the packet.

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I understand that there is evidence that more and more people are not smoking, but those people who are smoking are smoking more.

LORD HAILSHAM OF SAINT MARYLEBONE

My Lords, without the smallest desire to criticise the Government on this matter, may I ask whether it is not a melancholy fact that public opinion will make no end of fuss about minute quantities of atomic waste escaping, but when you have something which destroys about 50,000 lives a year, and ruins many others, nobody seems to care?

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, in view of the fact that most smokers have now become used to the form of the Government warning, would it not be wise to consider a slight variation of the wording, preferably in a much stronger form?

LORD WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I will undertake to see that this suggestion is examined.

LORD DAVIES OF LEEK

My Lords, to try to put the Record straight, may I ask my noble friend whether he is aware (despite the impeccable logic and ability of the noble Lord who was the previous Lord Chancellor) that, comparing cigarette smoking with radio activity, at least the smoking of cigarettes does not have the same radioactive effect upon generations for thousands of years as does radiation? I do not think the comparison stands up.

LORD HAILSHAM OF SAINT MARYLEBONE

My Lords, will the noble Lord take note of the fact that no responsible scientist would endorse the remark which has just been made.

The LORD PRIVY SEAL (LORD SHEPHERD)

My Lords, since we are now clearly entering into debate, I suggest we move on to the next Question.