Health Bill

I want to make a few brief points. First, the Minister often prays in aid the fact that the affirmative procedure is required to make these changes. I have to say that he has far greater faith in it than I. At some point, perhaps when he is in opposition, he will find that it is not quite as useful a parliamentary check as he thinks on what governments are about. I want simply to place that on the record. Secondly, we have heard a great deal about scientific evidence which we are not going to debate now. However, is there any specific scientific evidence on second-hand smoke in vehicles? I ask that because they are different from premises. Admittedly they are a workplace for a driver, but today most vehicles have air conditioning, or at least air circulation, and of course they all have windows. So I wonder quite seriously whether any scientific work has been done in this area or whether we are just saying that because vehicles can be a workplace, they must follow the same line. Thirdly, earlier I mentioned Germany. This point backs up the words of my noble friend from the Dispatch Box. Germany was going to legislate for vehicles, but I understand that that element has now been withdrawn on the grounds that it would be a gross intrusion of privacy. I am slightly saddened to note that the German Parliament has weighed the arguments and the Government have listened. As a result, the German Government have adjusted their Bill quite substantially. We have seen a little movement this afternoon—or at least I think we have; either that or this is a delaying tactic to make us move on a little faster. However, I think that the Minister is an honourable man and that he is looking at one or two areas. Therefore my plea to him is to look at the German situation, although I make it clear that I do not have the details. I hope to have more information by the time we consider the Bill on Report. It is an important development because, as my noble friend said, civil liberties are being swept away. We should not use a broom, but take this forward very carefully. My noble friend who temporarily is not in his place gave an example of someone ploughing with a tractor for several hours on end. It is beyond belief that he will not be able to smoke in the tractor; but that he will have to wait for his break before he can have a fag. So I too have grave reservations about this clause and I suspect that we shall want to come back to it on Report.