HL Deb 13 January 2003 vol 643 cc21-2WA
Baroness Gale

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In view of the fact that passive smoking increases the risk of asthma in children, when they plan to implement a ban on smoking in public places. [HL916]

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

This year the Department of Health is funding local tobacco control alliances across England to carry out projects in close co-operation with local employers to tackle passive smoking and to increase the number of smoke-free environments. These projects vary in nature from the production of smoke-free guides to pubs and restaurants to the provision of advice and support to managers wishing to introduce policies. We hope that many will be suitable for national application.

We will also be increasing the visibility of health messages highlighting to smokers the risks environmental tobacco smoke presents. This is through regulations to transpose into United Kingdom law the European Union Directive on the Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco Products. These regulations require tobacco products to carry larger and starker health warnings on both the front and back of the packet. The dangers of passive smoking are highlighted in two of the new warnings which include "Smoking seriously harms you and others around you" and "Protect children: don't make them breathe your smoke".