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Health Bill

I misheard the hon. Gentleman. I want to move on to the aspect of the Bill that is more contentious. I am very conscious of the fact that I am the Chairman of the Select Committee on Health, which is investigating smoking in public places. The Select Committee has not yet reported to the House, so I want to limit my remarks to the three evidence sessions on 20 October and 17 and 24 November, which are marked on today’s Order Paper as being relevant to the debate on Second Reading. The Government’s intention to exempt drink-only pubs and membership clubs has inevitably caused frustration and anger, not just among the health community but in large sections of the leisure industry that did not want to ban smoking in the first place, but would now prefer a comprehensive ban as that would create a level playing field for them. They do not want to have to consider whether or not they should get out of food and into drink only, given that some sort of ban will be introduced under the Bill. During a number of evidence sessions, I talked about my apprenticeship as a young man drinking in South Yorkshire pubs. They were largely full of smoke and men and there was little food beyond a packet of crisps. I hope that that culture has changed in many of those public houses, which I sometimes frequent, and that food and families can be seen in them. They are a lot better than they were in years gone by. I would hate to think that we were going to reverse that change in the culture of drinking in our public houses by introducing a Bill that was not specific.