Health Bill

Before the election, we made it clear in a document that was published in February that we believe that individuals are primarily responsible for their health. Indeed, the Secretary of State made more or less the same point. We therefore want to proceed when possible through voluntary measures and self-regulatory solutions rather than legislative ones. If I am to disappoint Labour Members, I will disappoint some of my colleagues, too. As we made clear before the election, we would have included provisions in a public health Bill to enforce a reduction in smoking in circumstances in which a self-regulatory solution had not been effective in three years. We did not propose a comprehensive ban. We proposed that, first, wherever non-smokers had access—including licensed premises as well as workplaces—they should not be exposed to second-hand smoke. That is different from private houses and private clubs. Secondly, wherever children had access, they should not be exposed to second-hand smoke. Thirdly—again reflecting a point similar to one that the Secretary of State made—workers in the hospitality industry, such as people who work behind a bar, should not be exposed to second-hand smoke. Although not a comprehensive ban, our proposals bore a close resemblance to those that the Secretary of State reportedly pressed on her Cabinet colleagues before the publication of the Bill but was prevented from implementing. The proposals that we are discussing are not those that Secretary of State wanted to introduce.