HC Deb 14 June 2000 vol 351 cc649-50W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on(a) the effectiveness of his Department's no-smoking policy and (b) the proportion of his Department's offices that do not allow smoking. [125157]

Mr. Chris Smith

I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Crausby) on 24 January 2000,Official Report, column 89W, and to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) on 16 December 1999, Official Report, columns 279–80W.

My Department's policy on smoking can be considered effective as it actively encourages a reduction in smoking by allowing smoking to take place only in the designated smoking rooms. Less than 1 per cent. of the Department's office space is given over to areas in which smoking is allowed.