§ 45. Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to have further talks with the tobacco industry about health warnings on cigarette packets and cigarette advertising.
§ Sir K. JosephIt has been agreed that the working of the voluntary agreement should be kept under review. The results of the last review were outlined in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Dr. Stuttaford) on 8th August, 1972.—[Vol. 842, c.336–8.]
§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will send a circular to local authorities on the question of banning smoking in all theatres, cinemas and places of entertainment.
§ Sir K. JosephNo. I do not think this would be appropriate. Experience is showing that, in general, organisations want to keep in line with the wishes of their clients. The most recent demonstration of this has been by the Rank Organisation who now provide accommodation set aside for non-smokers in all of their cinemas, following a period of experimentation which revealed that66W this was what their patrons wanted. The public, therefore, can play an important part in this by making their views known to the appropriate authorities.
Smoking is already prohibited in the auditorium in virtually all theatres.