§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in his negotiation with the tobacco industry on the health hazards of cigarette smoking, he will now 384W include advertising control in the light of the evidence published in Which?, a copy of which has been sent to him by the hon. Member for Brent, South.
§ Dr. OwenAs I announced during the debate on smoking and health on 16th January—[Vol. 903, c. 802.]—the Government were unable to endorse the code of practice on the advertising of cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco agreed last year between the cigarette manufacturers and the Advertising Standards Authority. This was because it did not go far enough. The Government considered that it should be judged on its results and said that the question of controls on advertising should therefore await a full year's experience of the effectiveness of the new code.
I have seen the reports in Which?, which only confirm my initial doubts about the code of practice.