Push for Smoke-Free Future: Labour’s Lucy Powell Defends Outdoor Smoking Ban Amid Hospitality Industry Concerns

Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons from the Labour Party, has asserted that prohibiting smoking in outdoor areas of pubs is not meant to harm the hospitality sector. She argued that implementing a smoking ban in pub gardens 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 informed Trevor Phillips on Sky News' Sunday Morning program that Labour aims to establish a "smoke-free country," and any steps toward this goal will be carried out in collaboration with potentially impacted businesses.

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The recently elected administration had promised to revive Rishi Sunak's key tobacco legislation, which aimed to prohibit the sale of cigarettes to anyone age 14 and younger, indefinitely. However, this proposal was put on hold prior to the elections.

This week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated that his efforts might extend to prohibiting smoking at outdoor events as well, aiming to decrease the preventable fatalities associated with tobacco consumption.

When questioned about concerns that this decision might harm the industry, Ms. Powell responded, "We are definitely not targeting the hospitality sector. We are behind the hospitality industry. It plays a crucial role in our local communities, our main streets, and our economy."

"I won't speculate on the specifics of upcoming legislation, but I will emphasize that any initiatives to broaden regulations concerning smoking will be fully discussed with stakeholders in the hospitality sector."

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SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has described the proposed smoking ban as a diversion tactic to shift attention away from Labour's bleak austerity narrative.

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She also mentioned that there has been a widespread agreement for quite some time on the goal of 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 roughly £2.6 billion.

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

Sir Keir mentioned that the prohibition might cover areas such as beer garden patios, open-air 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. She highlighted that these venues have made substantial investments in outdoor spaces in good faith, all the while continuing to grapple with financial difficulties.

Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, commented, "This really brings us to an important crossroads: Are we heading towards becoming a nanny state? What will follow?"

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

Several Conservative 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 young ones from starting to smoke and use vapes. 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 actions are jeopardizing our hospitality industry."

Reform leader Nigel Farage informed a newspaper that he would "never visit a pub again if a ban on outdoor smoking were implemented."

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% decrease in hospital admissions for childhood asthma within one year.

ASH has expressed support for the government's initiatives, noting however that it's crucial to provide designated outdoor areas for smokers to ensure they don't resort to smoking inside.

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