Lucy Powell Defends Outdoor Smoking Ban: A Strategic Move for Public Health, Not an Attack on Hospitality

Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons from the Labour Party, has stated that prohibiting smoking in outdoor areas of pubs is not meant to harm the hospitality sector. She argued that implementing a ban on smoking in places like pub gardens could positively impact both the economy and public health services.

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Sunday, September 1, 2024, 11:

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A cabinet minister has firmly stated that the government's proposed plans to prohibit smoking in pub gardens do not constitute an attack on the hospitality sector.

Lucy Powell conveyed to Trevor Phillips on Sky News' Sunday Morning that Labour aims to establish a "smoke-free country," and that any steps taken towards this goal will involve discussions with potentially impacted businesses.

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The current administration had committed to reviving Rishi Sunak's key tobacco legislation that aimed to permanently prohibit the sale of cigarettes to individuals aged 14 and younger, however, this proposal was postponed prior to the elections.

This week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated that his measures against smoking might expand to include prohibitions at outdoor venues, aiming to decrease the preventable deaths associated with tobacco consumption.

When questioned about concerns that this action might harm businesses, Ms. Powell responded, "We are definitely not targeting the hospitality sector. We stand behind it fully because it plays a crucial role in our communities, on our main streets, and in our overall economy."

"I won't speculate on the specifics of upcoming bills, but I will emphasize that any steps to broaden regulations concerning smoking will involve thorough discussions with the hospitality sector."

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She mentioned that for quite some time, there has been a unanimous agreement on achieving a smoke-free nation, noting that the health and economic advantages would be significant.

Annually, smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths and is estimated to cost England's NHS around £2.6 billion.

Health advocates have expressed approval for the new proposals, but representatives from the hospitality industry caution that these measures might deliver a critical blow, especially after the challenges posed by the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living increases.

Sir Keir mentioned that the prohibition might extend to beer gardens, al fresco dining areas, external sports facilities, hospitals, nightclubs, and select smaller parks.

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Kate Nicholls, the head of UKHospitality, expressed concerns that this could lead to significant financial difficulties for hospitality businesses, which have "made considerable investments in outdoor areas and are still experiencing economic hardships."

Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, posed the question: "Are we at risk of turning into a nanny state? What will happen now?"

"While these actions are likely motivated by concerns for public health, they carry the potential to polarize views and add more regulatory demands on businesses that are already dealing with significant difficulties."

Several Conservative MPs voiced their opposition to the initiative, even though they had suggested their own measures to reduce smoking among the youth. Shadow Health Secretary Victoria Atkins expressed on X, stating, "We aim to shield our kids from starting smoking and vaping. Our legislation for a smoke-free generation was crafted with this purpose in mind.

"However, our agenda did not include prohibiting outdoor smoking for adults. Labour's approach is jeopardizing our hospitality industry."

Reform leader Nigel Farage informed a publication that he would "never visit a pub again if smoking outdoors were prohibited."

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

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

ASH endorses the government's plans; however, they emphasize the necessity for designated outdoor smoking areas to discourage indoor smoking among tobacco users.

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