HC Deb 14 October 1991 vol 196 cc79-80W
Mr. Cummings

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the respective size requirements of labelling regulations for cigarette manufacturers to print warnings on cigarette packs in other EC countries.

Mr. Dorrell

Details of legislation to implement the EC directive on tobacco products labelling have been received from six member states. The size requirements for labels on the main faces of cigarette packets can be summarized as follows:

Belgium A minimum of 4 per cent., 6 per cent. or 8 per cent. of the relevant face must be covered depending on whether one, two or three of the official languages are used.

Denmark A minimum of 4 per cent.

Germany A minimum of 4 per cent.

Italy A minimum of 4 per cent. pending a judgment from the European Court of Justice on whether the Italian Government can require two health warnings on the back face of a packet together covering 8 per cent. of the surface.

Portugal A minimum of 4 per cent.

Spain A minimum of 4 per cent. except in autonomous regions where there are two official languages where the minimum will be 6 per cent.

Copies of the laws and regulations in force in the other member states have not yet been received.