§ Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his agreement with the tobacco industry on advertising excludes promotion directed to new groups of consumers; and, if so, if he will examine the advertisements appearing in the Urdu weekly Azad and the Gujerati publication Gujorat Samachar, both of which are widely read in Brent, South.
§ Mr. MoyleCigarette advertising is governed by the Code of Advertising Practice, the revision of which my right hon. Friend announced in his reply to my hon. Friend on 27th July. As will be seen from the code, it does not exclude promotion directed at any group of consumers, but its essence is stated to be that advertisements should not seek to encourage people, especially the young, to start smoking or, if they are already smokers, to increase their levels of smoking or to smoke to excess. The advertisements to which my hon. Friend refers will be examined in that light.