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

Lucy Powell, Labour's leader in the Commons, has stated that prohibiting smoking in outdoor areas of pubs is not meant to harm the hospitality sector. She argued that a ban on smoking, including in pub gardens, could positively impact both the economy and health services.

Political correspondent @fayebrownSky

Sunday, September 1, 2024, at 11

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

Lucy Powell conveyed to Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that Labour aims to establish a "smoke-free nation," and any steps toward this goal will be implemented following discussions with the potentially impacted businesses.

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The incoming administration had committed to reviving Rishi Sunak's key tobacco legislation, which aimed to prevent individuals 14 and younger from ever purchasing cigarettes. However, this proposal was set aside prior to the election.

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

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

"I won't speculate on the contents of upcoming legislation, but I can assure you that any steps taken to broaden regulations on smoking will involve thorough discussions with those in the hospitality industry."

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Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader in Westminster, has labeled the proposed smoking ban as merely a distraction from the negative aspects of Labour’s austerity policies.

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She also mentioned that there has been a longstanding agreement 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 praised the new proposals, but hospitality industry executives caution that these could severely impact businesses already struggling from the pandemic and rising living costs.

Sir Keir mentioned that the prohibition might extend to include beer gardens, alfresco dining areas, outdoor sports facilities, hospitals, nightclubs, and certain small parks.

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Kate Nicholls, the chief executive of UKHospitality, expressed concerns that this poses a significant economic threat to hospitality businesses, which have heavily invested in outdoor areas in good faith and are still encountering financial difficulties.

Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, posed a crucial query: "Are we on the verge of turning into a nanny state? What comes after this?

"Although these policies are likely motivated by concerns for public health, there's a chance they could polarize views and add more regulatory requirements to companies that are already dealing with significant difficulties."

Several Conservative MPs voiced opposition to the initiative, even though they had previously suggested measures to reduce smoking among the youth. Shadow Health Secretary Victoria Atkins expressed on X, "Our goal is to shield our children from starting to smoke and use vapes. Our legislation for a smoke-free generation was crafted with this purpose in mind.

"However, we did not intend to prevent adults from smoking outdoors. Labour's approach is 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 various 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 expressed their backing for the government's initiatives, emphasizing the necessity for designated outdoor smoking areas to discourage indoor smoking among tobacco users.

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