§ Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to hold urgent talks with the BBC with a view to extending the voluntary agreement to include the prevention by the sponsors of any encouragement of smoking by contestants in televised sports programmes.
§ Sir George YoungThe voluntary agreement on sponsorship of sport by the tobacco industry is the responsibility of my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, who has responsibility for sport. The agreement is to be renegotiated this year, and I shall bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind when discussing possible changes with my hon. Friend. My right hon. Friend will continue to take appropriate opportunities to invite the television authorities to discourage smoking on television programmes generally.