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Tobacco Control Plan
10 June 2021
Lead MP
Mary Foy
City of Durham
Lab
Responding Minister
Jo Churchill
Tags
NHSTaxationEmploymentMental Health
Word Count: 12879
Other Contributors: 10
At a Glance
Mary Foy raised concerns about tobacco control plan in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The MP calls for investment and asks if the proposals put forward by the APPG on smoking and health will be considered in the tobacco control plan. She specifically requests that the Government deliver a 'polluter pays' approach to fund tobacco control measures, as committed to in the prevention Green Paper.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The MP is concerned about the high smoking rates in County Durham, where adult smoking prevalence is 17%, compared to 13.9% nationally. She highlights that 27% of people in routine and manual occupations smoke, and smoking costs society £122 million annually in County Durham alone. The MP points out that the Government's current approach will not achieve the ambition of a smoke-free 2030, with 1,500 deaths from smoking-related diseases every week.
Adam Afriyie
Con
Windsor
Emphasised the importance of data and evidence in driving the tobacco control plan, noting that vaping devices are safer than smoking. Recommended annual advice for smokers on quitting options and support for those with mental health challenges or low incomes. I am encouraged by the Minister's words. Will she confirm that she sees this as part of the levelling-up agenda?
Alex Norris
Lab Co-op
Nottingham North and Kimberley
Alex Norris thanked colleagues for their contributions and discussed the need to focus on regional inequalities in tobacco control. He highlighted high smoking rates and associated costs in Nottingham, emphasizing the importance of locally led cessation services. He also called for a restoration of public health funds cut since 2013, particularly in poorer communities.
Bob Blackman
Con
Harrow East
Discussed the importance of reducing smoking rates to address health inequalities and increase healthy life expectancy. Cited statistics such as more than 70,000 people dying from smoking in England alone last year. Emphasised the need for bold action with appropriate investment, estimating a minimum of £1.2 billion is needed to restore public health funding to 2015 levels and an additional £2.6 billion for levelling up public health across the country.
David Jones
Con
Clwyd West
Smoking remains a significant health issue in the UK, with current quit rates not sufficient to meet the smoke-free target by 2030. David Jones proposes three courses for the tobacco control plan: promoting alternative products like e-cigarettes and online communications; studying new products such as nicotine pouches and heated tobacco; and creating legislation for a robust regulatory framework covering all market products. He also asks about the full reflection of evidence from post-implementation reviews in the plan, and urges the Government to stand up against WHO's call for banning reduced-risk alternatives.
Ian Paisley Jnr
DUP
North Antrim
He highlighted that tobacco is a highly regulated and taxed product, but the current tax regime disadvantages poorer households and encourages smuggling of illicit tobacco. On June 2nd, the Northern Ireland Border Force seized 4.4 tonnes of illegal tobacco worth £7.24 million in unpaid duty. He criticised the Government's control measures as ineffective and suggested that instead of increasing taxes, efforts should focus on tackling organised crime involved in tobacco smuggling.
Kate Osborne
Lab
Jarrow and Gateshead East
Ms Osborne shared her personal experience of smoking, highlighting the long-term costs of smoking in communities like South Tyneside (£37.9 million annually). She called for a comprehensive strategy including additional regulation, investment from tobacco companies, and closer support services for high-addiction areas. She also advocated for introducing public health licences for retailers to prevent underage sales and protect children from smoking.
Kenny MacAskill
SNP
Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Mr MacAskill, while acknowledging progress in tobacco control since the 1960s and 70s, emphasized the continued prevalence of smoking in poorer areas with health vulnerabilities. He highlighted the link between illegal tobacco trade and serious organised crime, urging for careful calibration of actions to avoid unintended consequences such as fueling criminal activities or harming legitimate businesses.
Liz Twist
Lab
Blaydon and Consett
Ms Liz Twist highlighted the high smoking rates in Gateshead, with 17.1% of the population smoking compared to a national average of 13.9%. She stated that smoking costs Gateshead £48.3 million annually due to health and care needs. Between 2016-2018, there were 1,227 deaths in Gateshead attributable to smoking, including 515 from lung cancer and 412 from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking during pregnancy has been shown to double the risk of stillbirth, leading Ms Twist to call for tobacco manufacturers to pay towards a smoke-free fund under the 'polluter pays' principle. We have not had much time to talk about mental health in any detail. Will the Minister ensure that funding is found to deliver the original NHS long-term plan commitment to provide tobacco dependence treatment to all smokers accessing secondary mental health services?
Mary Glindon
Lab
Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
Mary Glindon emphasised the importance of the Government's upcoming tobacco control plan in reducing smoking prevalence and improving public health, advocating for a focus on vaping as a less harmful alternative. She highlighted the need to combat misinformation about e-cigarettes through an effective communication strategy and supported medical professionals at local stop smoking services with clinical guidance. Glindon also called for a review of nicotine regulation in e-cigarettes and mentioned her late husband's successful transition from smoking to vaping.
Virendra Sharma
Lab
Ealing, Southall
Mr Sharma expressed concern about declining smoking rates among black and minority ethnic communities being slower than the national average. He highlighted that cessation services have faced funding cuts despite polluters potentially offering to fund these services. He emphasised the importance of recognising addiction as a medical issue rather than moral failing, and noted that three million people now vape, predominantly former smokers. Mr Sharma called for an ambitious tobacco control plan that includes new products such as 'heat not burn' technology and nicotine pouches, which offer lower health risks compared to cigarettes.
Government Response
Jo Churchill
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Miller. I congratulate the hon. Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) and my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) on securing this important debate. Since the launch of Fresh's regional tobacco control plan in 2005, the north-east has seen a 47% drop in smoking rates. However, current smoking prevalence is still above the national average at around 14%, and variation across different regions remains high. The NHS long-term plan commits to supporting smokers admitted to hospital, pregnant mothers, and their partners to quit. An estimated 75,000 deaths are caused by smoking in England each year, affecting not just individuals but families and communities as well. Since 1990, stop smoking services have helped 4.7 million people quit—more than the combined populations of Birmingham, Greater Manchester, and Leeds. The new tobacco control plan will expand on the success of the 2017 plan to support targeted interventions in areas where rates are not declining enough. Data from July's release will be used to inform the strategy. The minister is considering alternative products such as e-cigarettes (95% better than smoking) and snus, currently banned but under review based on new evidence. Local directors of public health drive plans in localities, focusing on reducing inequalities and targeting high-smoking areas like Blackpool with a 24% prevalence rate compared to Richmond at 8%. The minister is also exploring workplace interventions to reduce smoking rates among manual workers and those with mental health conditions. HMRC has been tackling illicit tobacco through Operation CeCe, established earlier this year. Other departments are working on tax increases, prevention efforts, and addressing littering issues related to tobacco products. The UK remains committed to the WHO's framework convention on tobacco control and aims to make smoking a thing of the past by improving public health and freeing up billions spent annually on smoking-related costs.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.