|
Ministers consider UK
smoking ban
10 September, 2004
 Some form of ban on smoking in
public places could be introduced in England and Wales, a minister has
indicated.
With the Irish ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants hailed as a success,
there has been a pressure for Westminster to follow suit.
Public health minister Melanie Johnson said a large consultation exercise
found significant support.
But she would not reveal the scale of ban being considered, saying "taking
some form of action" was on the cards.
Pro-smoking choice groups and many ordinary drinkers feel a ban would be
unfair and excessive and favour some form of voluntary measure. Drinks
industry representatives are also worried that a complete ban could have a
major impact on sales.
Ms Johnson speaking on BBC Two's Newsnight programme, said of the
consultation exercise: "The findings show there is a lot of support towards
banning smoking in public places.
"But we know from polling that in fact there is a different result from
looking at different forms of public place. So, for example, there is a much
stronger support for banning smoking in restaurants than there is in pubs."
The results of the four-month consultation exercise on a range of public
health issues will form the basis of a white paper in the autumn.
The minister added: "What we have also consulted on in the Labour Party
through the Big Conversation was actually local bans, we have also looked at
those.
"We will certainly be looking at the ways in which we address smoking in
public places and taking some form of action as a result of the White
Paper."
|
