Health Bill [HL]

This has been a useful short debate, and I thank all noble Lords who have spoken in support of the amendment. Naturally, I find the Minister’s reply disappointing, although I thank her for her thoughtful response. I shall consider carefully what she has said. I am sure she would agree that we are after a cultural change in the area of youth smoking. Creating parity between alcohol and tobacco in the way that the law treats proxy purchasing would send out a powerful message to children, parents and, for that matter, all adults alike, but it would also rebalance the burden of responsibility in this area. When it comes to enforcement, retailers are naturally in the front line. It is up to them to enforce the age limit for tobacco sales, and they run the risk of legal sanctions if they fail to do so. If the Government get their way, retailers will also be landed with the burden of enforcing the ban on displays at the point of sale. To make it illegal for an adult to buy cigarettes or tobacco on behalf of a minor would tackle the demand side of the problem by putting a legal onus on the purchaser, not just the seller. I accept the gentle teasing of the noble Lord, Lord Faulkner, about research. I simply argue that this is a blatant loophole in our existing criminal law and that that is the difference between this proposal and others in the Bill. I say to the Minister: let us look at simple measures like this one to buttress the current law before we get stuck into other measures that are inherently more difficult to agree on. I hope that the Government really will keep the matter under review. For my part, I undertake to reflect carefully on what the Minister has said before the next stage of the Bill. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 86 withdrawn.