§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will increase the membership of the Hunter Committee in order to add persons with special knowledge of cigarette advertising and other forms of sales promotion who would be capable of recommending action on areas of concern such as the effect of the present system of warnings about hazards to health.
§ Dr. OwenThe value to Government and the tobacco industry of the Hunter Committee is the objective appraisal it can make of the medical and scientific evidence of the dangers to health from smoking and the independent advice which it can give on matters such as the medical content for warning messages. How the warnings should be included in cigarette advertising and promotion are matters at present dealt with by voluntary agreement between the Government and the industry on the basis set out in my speech during the debate on smoking and health on 16th January.—[Vol. 903. c. 802–14.]