Lucy Powell Asserts Outdoor Smoking Ban Aims to Boost Public Health, Not Harm Hospitality Sector

Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons for the Labour Party, has asserted that prohibiting smoking in outdoor pub areas is not meant to undermine the hospitality sector. She argues that implementing a nationwide smoking ban could positively impact both the economy and the health services.

Political journalist @fayebrownSky

Sunday, September 1, 2024, 11:

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A cabinet minister has firmly stated that the government's proposed measures to prohibit smoking in pub gardens are not aimed at undermining the hospitality sector.

On Sky News' program "Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips," Lucy Powell announced that the Labour Party aims to establish a "smoke-free country." She emphasized that steps towards this goal would be taken in coordination with potentially impacted businesses.

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The recently formed administration had committed to reviving Rishi Sunak’s key tobacco legislation, which proposed permanently prohibiting the sale of cigarettes to individuals aged 14 and younger, although this initiative was put on hold prior to the election.

This week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated that his efforts might extend to prohibiting smoking in outdoor venues as well, aiming to lower the number of deaths that are preventable and associated with tobacco consumption.

When questioned on the concerns that this decision might be detrimental to businesses, Ms. Powell responded, "We are definitely not targeting the hospitality sector. We are in fact backers of this industry, which is crucial for our local communities, the vibrancy of our high streets, and our overall economy."

"I won’t speculate on the specifics of upcoming legislation, but I will mention that any actions to broaden regulations on smoking will involve thorough discussions with the hospitality sector."

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SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has described the proposed smoking ban as a diversionary tactic by Labour to shift attention away from its pessimistic economic policies.

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She noted that "for quite some time, there has been a unanimous agreement on achieving a smoke-free nation," and the advantages to health and economy "would be significant."

Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths annually and is estimated to cost England's NHS roughly £2.6 billion each year.

Health advocates have praised the new proposals, but hospitality sector executives caution that these measures might be detrimental, especially following the challenges posed by the pandemic and the rising cost of living.

Sir Keir mentioned that the prohibition might extend to areas such as beer garden patios, outdoor dining venues, external sports facilities, hospitals, nightclubs, and select small parks.

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Kate Nicholls, the head of UKHospitality, warned that this poses a significant economic threat to hospitality locations which have heavily invested in outdoor areas in good faith, while still grappling with financial difficulties.

Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, expressed concern by asking, "Does this situation push us toward being overly controlled by the government? What will happen now?"

"While these initiatives are likely motivated by concerns for public health, there's a chance they could polarize views and add additional regulatory demands on companies that are already dealing with significant difficulties."

Several Tory MPs have expressed opposition to the initiative, even though they have suggested their own measures to reduce smoking among the youth. Shadow Health Secretary Victoria Atkins shared on X, "Our goal is to shield our kids from starting to smoke and use e-cigarettes. Our legislation intended to create a smoke-free generation was crafted with this purpose in mind."

"However, our agenda did not include prohibiting outdoor smoking for adults. Labour's actions are endangering our hospitality industry."

Reform leader Nigel Farage informed a newspaper that he would "never visit a pub again if they banned smoking outdoors."

In 2007, the previous Labour administration implemented a prohibition on smoking within pubs and other indoor public areas.

According to Action on Smoking Health (ASH), there was a decrease of 2.4% in hospitalizations for heart attacks and a 12.3% drop in hospitalizations for childhood asthma within one year.

ASH expressed their backing for the government's initiatives, emphasizing that it's crucial for smokers to have designated outdoor areas to avoid the practice indoors.

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