Media Advisory: Friday 25^th November 2005

MPs, Trade Bodies, Health Groups, Local Government Unite to Demand Comprehensive Smokefree Law

PRESS CONFERENCE

11a.m. Monday 28^th November, JUBILEE ROOM, PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

• Rt Hon Frank Dobson MP (Labour)
• Stephen Williams MP (Liberal Democrat)
• Rt Hon Sir George Young MP (Conservative)
• Bob Cotton (Chief Executive, British Hospitality Association)
• Sir Peter Fry (Chairman, Bingo Association)
• Professor Alex Markham (Chief Executive, Cancer Research UK)
• Ian Gray (Policy Officer, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health)

(Chair: Deborah Arnott, Director of Action on Smoking and Health)

The Commons Second Reading Debate on the Health Bill will take place on Tuesday 29^th November.

Cross party support is growing for amending the Bill to remove the proposed exemptions from smokefree legislation for pubs that do not serve prepared food and private membership clubs.  Speaking to the Commons Health Select Committee on Thursday 24^th November, the Government's Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson revealed that he had seriously considered resigning when Ministers ignored his advice that comprehensive smokefree legislation should be preferred to the partial ban now in the Health Bill.  

Speakers at the press conference will discuss how a partial ban will lead to unfair competition between businesses, will be harder and more expensive to enforce, and will undermine the public health benefits of the legislation and worsen health inequalities.

ENDS

CONTACT: Ian Willmore (ASH)  07887 641344 (mobile)