§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the section in the fourth report of the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health relating to the health hazards of passive smoking; and if he will make a statement;
134W(2) if he will make a statement on the recommendations in the fourth report of the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health that every workplace with smoking and non-smoking employees should have a properly negotiated smoking police; and what steps he is taking to ensure that a workplace smoking policy is the norm rather than the exception.
§ Mr. MellorThe report recommended
Consideration should be given to ways of ensuring that in the work and leisure environments, in public transport and in other public enclosed spaces smokers can be segregated from non-smokers".The Government support the voluntary extension of smoke-free areas, including in the workplace. We have been actively encouraging Action on Smoking and Health in its development of a consultancy service to assist employers in the designing of workplace smoking policies. The Health and Safety Executive has recently published a free booklet entitled "Passive smoking at work" which suggests ways of reducing the exposure of non-smokers to tobacco smoke at work and answers some of the questions about the health risks of passive smoking.
The fourth report made a number of other recommendations on the subject of passive smoking. The Health Education Authority has publicised the risk of lung cancer associated with passive smoking. The role of environmental tobacco smoke in the occurrence of respiratory illness in children will be kept under review.
§ Mr. SimsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking on the recommendation of the chief medical officer that a clear commitment to a smoke-free environment for all Health Service staff and in all health premises should be made; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorIn May 1985, a circular was issued to NHS authorities offering general anti-smoking advice and asking them to draw up policy statements with a view to making non-smoking normal practice on Health Service premises and for Health Service staff.
Recent surveys have shown that, while a number of authorities have developed comprehensive policies, some still have scope for further progress. We are currently engaged in drafting a revised version of that circular which will draw upon the latest evidence of the damage to health done by passive smoking.