§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to make it compulsory for restaurants and cafes to have non-smoking areas. [135656]
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Mean body mass index (BMI) by survey year, Government office region, age and sex BMI (kg/m2) 1998–2001 Government office regions North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber West Midlands East Midlands East of England London South East South West England Aged 16 and over Men 1998 26.2 26.5 26.6 27.1 26.4 26.6 26.1 26.6 26.5 26.5 1999 27.3 26.7 26.6 26.6 26.6 26.5 26.2 25.9 26.2 26.5 2000 27.2 26.8 26.8 27.0 26.8 27.0 26.4 26.8 26.9 26.8 2001 27.4 26.8 27.1 27.3 27.1 27.0 26.6 27.0 26.9 27.0 Women 1998 26.6 26.4 26.4 26.7 26.8 26.4 25.9 26.1 26.5 26.4 1999 25.8 26.4 26.3 27.2 26.5 26.1 25.9 25.9 26.9 26.4 2000 26.7 26.9 26.1 27.4 27.0 26.3 26.3 26.4 26.2 26.6 Aged 0–15 Boys 1998 17.9 17.8 17.4 18.3 17.2 17.9 17.5 17.7 18.0 17.7 1999 18.1 18.2 18.1 18.0 17.2 17.7 18.2 18.8 17.8 18.1 2000 18.2 17.9 17.5 17.9 17.8 18.0 18.2 17.9 17.5 17.9 2001 18.3 18.0 17.9 18.0 17.9 18.3 18.0 17.6 17.8 18.0 Girls 1998 18.1 18.1 18.0 18.8 18.0 18.3 18.6 17.9 18.4 18.2 1999 17.6 18.0 17.8 19.1 17.8 18.0 18.5 17.6 18.4 18.2 2000 18.2 18.4 17.7 19.4 18.4 18.0 18.2 18.2 18.8 18.4 2001 18.8 18.8 18.0 18.1 18.7 18.2 18.1 17.7 18.3 18.3 Bases Men 1998 410 936 705 639 592 743 797 991 743 6,556 1999 173 506 331 348 303 400 323 492 327 3,203 2000 192 489 376 348 304 383 367 452 348 3,250 2001 437 840 662 700 611 764 665 889 694 6,262 Women 1998 484 1,082 819 763 671 862 960 1,216 826 7,683 1999 225 530 401 401 381 433 395 551 381 3,698 2000 245 519 437 416 327 414 440 536 368 3,702 2001 494 1,001 800 800 703 865 800 1,132 814 7,409
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonWe have no plans to make it compulsory for restaurants and cafes to have non-smoking areas.
We will continue to work with partners to encourage smoke-free policies across the country, whilst at the same time increasing support for smokers who want to quit.
I am encouraged by the responsible attitude of many restaurant owners to speed up this process and am optimistic that many venues will become smoke-free. However I recognise that we still have some way to go and I encourage all businesses to respond to the levels of actual public and customer demand for more smoke-free places.