Lucy Powell Stresses Outdoor Smoking Ban Aims to Boost Public Health, Not Hurt Hospitality

Lucy Powell, leader of the Labour Party in the House of Commons, maintains that prohibiting smoking in outdoor areas of pubs is not meant to harm the hospitality sector. She argued that making the nation smoke-free could positively impact both the economy and health services.

Political correspondent @fayebrownSky

Sunday, September 1, 2024, 11:

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A cabinet minister has asserted that the government's proposed initiative to prohibit smoking in pub gardens is not an assault on the hospitality sector.

Lucy Powell spoke on Sky News' "Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips," expressing Labour's goal to establish a "smoke-free country." She stated that initiatives to reach this objective would be implemented following discussions with potentially impacted businesses.

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The current administration had committed to reviving Rishi Sunak's key tobacco legislation, which proposed prohibiting the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after a certain year, ensuring they would never be able to purchase tobacco legally. However, this plan was put on hold prior to the elections.

This week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated that he might extend the prohibition to include smoking in outdoor venues as well, aiming to decrease the preventable deaths associated with tobacco consumption.

When questioned on concerns that this decision might harm businesses, Ms. Powell responded, "We are definitely not targeting the hospitality sector. We are backers of this industry. It's crucial for our local communities, our main streets, and our economy."

"I won’t speculate on the contents of upcoming legislation, but I will emphasize 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 diversion tactic used by Labour to distract from their bleak austerity policies.

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She also mentioned that there has been a widespread agreement for quite some time that the goal is to achieve a smoke-free nation, and the implications for health and the economy would be significant.

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

Health advocates have expressed approval for the recent proposals, however, executives from the hospitality industry caution that these measures might severely impact their businesses, especially after the challenges brought on by the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living increase.

Sir Keir mentioned that the prohibition might extend to beer garden areas, outdoor dining establishments, external sports facilities, hospitals, nightclubs, and certain smaller parks.

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Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UKHospitality, warned that this poses a significant economic threat to hospitality venues, which have made substantial investments in outdoor areas and are still experiencing financial difficulties.

Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, commented, "This prompts an essential inquiry: Are we nearing the threshold of a nanny state? What follows?"

"While these actions are likely motivated by concerns for public health, they may polarize views and add further 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, stating: "Our goal is to shield our kids from starting to smoke and vape. Our legislation for a smoke-free generation aims to achieve this.

"However, our agenda did not include prohibiting adults from smoking outdoors. Labour's actions are jeopardizing our hospitality industry."

Reform leader Nigel Farage stated to a newspaper 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 other indoor public areas.

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

ASH endorses the government's plans, emphasizing the necessity for designated outdoor areas for smokers to prevent indoor smoking.

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