§ Mr. MacShaneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to discourage smoking in public places. [438]
§ Ms Angela EagleThe Government intend to call a seminar of experts in the field of smoking reduction. The results of this seminar will inform policy, which will then be set out in a White Paper on our strategy to reduce smoking. We will also be drafting legislation to ban tobacco advertising. The Department of the Environment, which has responsibility for policy on smoking in public places, will continue to encourage those responsible for the management of public places to introduce smoking policies, against the targets set out in the 1997 White Paper "This Common Inheritance", and will be reviewing further steps that might be taken to speed up progress.