House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Smokefree Future

11 January 2024 · 5 other contributors · 12,716 words

Opened by Bob Blackman Con Harrow East

Responding minister: Andrea Leadsom

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Bob Blackman raised concerns about smokefree future in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

Concerns raised about delay in achieving Smokefree 2030 target, with some areas not expected to reach 5% smoking prevalence until after 2050.
Cancer Research UK indicates the Government is nearly a decade behind the 2030 smoke-free target for England.
Financial burden of smoking estimated at 89.3 billion annually, causing over 1,300 hospital admissions in Harrow alone.

Key requests to Government

I ask the Government to implement the recommendations in our manifesto for a smoke-free future, which include a 'polluter pays' levy on tobacco manufacturers to generate significant funds needed for smoking cessation measures and public health initiatives. I also urge the Minister to commit to discussing these proposals with Treasury Ministers.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Bob Blackman Con Harrow East

I am concerned about the delay in achieving the Government's Smokefree 2030 target, with deprived areas not on track to hit a smoke-free target of 5% smoking prevalence until after 2050. According to Cancer Research UK, the Government are nearly a decade behind achieving their target for England to be smoke free by 2030. In Harrow alone, tobacco causes over 1,300 hospital admissions annually. Additionally, I worry about the financial burden smoking places on individuals and the public finances, with an estimated £89.3 billion cost to the UK economy per year.

Other contributors (5)

Ian Paisley Jnr DUP North Antrim

Mr Paisley highlighted the unintended consequences of a generational ban on tobacco sales, particularly in Northern Ireland due to EU regulations. He raised concerns about increased criminality and violence against retailers if ID checks are required. He cited statistics from surveys showing negative impacts on retail businesses and emphasized the need for clear responsibility when enforcing such bans. Mr Paisley also pointed out that a significant portion of UK cigarette consumption comes from illegal trade, potentially fuelling organised crime. I declare a charitable trust interest and ask the Minister to seek advice on whether Northern Ireland's ability to regulate tobacco products is restricted due to EU connections through the Windsor framework.
Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

Mr Shannon expressed support for the UK Government's Smokefree 2030 ambition and welcomed recent actions taken to reduce smoking rates. He highlighted the severe impact of smoking in Northern Ireland, which killed 2,200 people and was responsible for 35,000 hospital admissions in 2022. Mr Shannon also called for stronger enforcement against illicit tobacco and vaping products, noting that the sale of these items undermines efforts to reduce smoking rates. Thinks the Government should look at Canadian legislation that has successfully dissuaded people from smoking and adopt similar measures here.
Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett

Welcomed the Government's bold smoke-free generation announcement, supporting efforts to prevent future tobacco consumption. Highlighted the significant economic impact of smoking in her constituency, with Gateshead Council losing nearly £170 million a year due to smoking-related costs. Noted that people with mental health conditions are disproportionately affected by smoking and die up to 25 years earlier than the general population. Called for more support for those in both community and in-patient settings, stressed the need for awareness about quitting's mental health benefits. Asked when the response to the consultation on pack inserts would be available.
Mary Foy Lab City of Durham

Welcomes the Government's smoke-free generation policy but criticises previous inaction. Stresses the need to address health inequalities by reducing smoking rates, particularly among disadvantaged populations. Highlights the importance of funding for tobacco control programmes and support services.
Preet Kaur Gill Lab Co-op Birmingham Edgbaston

She thanked the hon. Member for Harrow East and others for their contributions, emphasizing that smoking remains a significant health risk causing 125,000 deaths in the UK annually. She highlighted the economic impact of smoking, noting its costs to the NHS and productivity losses, and stated Labour's commitment to reducing tobacco-related deaths through prevention measures and setting clear targets on cancer and cardiovascular disease reduction.

Government Response

Andrea Leadsom

It is a pleasure to speak under your chairmanship today, Mr Sharma. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East on securing a debate on such an important issue and pay tribute to his work as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on smoking and health. The Government are committed to creating a smoke-free future by raising the age of sale for tobacco products to 21, ensuring that children turning 15 this year or younger will never legally be sold tobacco products. This measure is expected to reduce smoking rates in England among 14 to 30-year-olds to close to zero as early as 2040. The Government are also supporting existing smokers to quit through significant new funding and support, reducing the appeal and availability of vapes, and introducing new action to enforce these rules. A smoke-free generation policy could provide cumulative productivity benefits of £85 billion within the next 50 years. The Minister announced that they will more than double the funding for local stop smoking services in England to a total of £138 million per year, helping around 360,000 people quit every year. They are also working on rolling out a national financial incentive scheme by the end of 2024 to help all pregnant smokers and their partners quit, which will build on previous work such as the NHS long-term plan commitments on maternal smoking. The consultation closed with nearly 28,000 valid responses, and the Minister committed to publishing their response in coming weeks ahead of the introduction of the tobacco and vapes Bill. The Minister also addressed questions raised by hon. Members during the debate.