Health Bill [HL]

The issue that we are keeping under review relates, first, to seeing how the new sanctions being introduced on 1 April will work. Also, 49 per cent of children are given cigarettes by their friends. This involves children and young adults buying a packet of cigarettes and sharing them with their friends. This is another issue that would need to be resolved if this proposal became legislation. We would have to be careful not to criminalise those young people rather than trying to enable them, as the noble Baroness, Lady Coussins, said, to make responsible choices and decisions. As I have said, we are keeping this under review and I hope, in the light of these explanations, that the noble Earl will agree to withdraw his amendment.