§ Mr. CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidelines to independent retailers of tobacco on establishing whether a customer is aged over 16 years; and if he will encourage the introduction of an ID card system for young people wishing to purchase tobacco. [22222]
§ Mr. MichaelGuidelines were issued to local authorities in 1992 on the application of the Children and Young Person (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 and we have no plans to change that guidance. It is for the retailer to ensure that the person to whom cigarettes are sold is not under the age of 16, but if they are in any doubt about their responsibilities they can contact their local Trading Standards Officer who has responsibility for enforcing the 1991 Act. The retailer will have a defence to any possible prosecution if he can show that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid committing the offence. The Government are encouraging the use of voluntary "proof of age" cards produced by the Portman Group in respect of licensed premises and would be interested in any comparable proposals by the industry in the context of young people wishing to purchase tobacco.