§ Mr. Anthony CoombsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the third annual report of the Committee for Monitoring Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe Committee for Monitoring Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship has submitted its third report and copies have been placed in the Library. I am very grateful to the committee, and particularly to the chairman, Sir Peter Lazarus, for its valuable work in continuing to monitor the agreements, and for its third report to the United Kingdom Health Ministers and to the Minister for Sport. It shows that, in general, the system of voluntary agreements is working well and that the tobacco companies have continued to honour their commitments.
The chairman has expressed the hope that the Government and the tobacco industry will soon reach 692W agreement on the replacement of old signs without health warnings. My colleagues and I note his comments which in our view are fully justified. We are currently discussing how to update the advertising agreement with the tobacco industry and will press for early progress on this issue.