§ Mr. David MartinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to implement the EC directive on the labelling of tobacco products.
§ Mr. WaldegraveOfficials have written today to the major interests concerned to allow them three months to comment on draft regulations to implement this directive. In implementing the directive, I have proposed as far as possible to maintain the existing system for testing tar and nicotine yields of cigarettes. I have also proposed, insofar as the directive allows any flexibility in the matter, to choose those health warnings which seem likely to be most effective in alerting the consumer to the terrible health risks involved in smoking. I have placed a copy of the draft regulations in the Library.