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Health Bill

I do not accept that and I shall explain why. Freedom to choose whether to smoke in one’s private space must be respected. That liberty does not extend to exposing other people to harm in a public place. On that basis, exemptions to the requirement for premises to be smoke-free should include private homes and private vehicles, as amendment No. 6 proposes—I hope that we shall have an opportunity to press that to a Division. Places that are one’s home on a temporary basis and private members’ clubs should be exempt. I understand the case about employees but, as was said from the Liberal Democrat Benches, I do not believe that we could or should require people not to smoke in their homes when staff or employees are present. I therefore do not support the argument that private homes or private members’ clubs should be smoke-free on the ground of the presence of employees.