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Health Bill

We have had a full debate on Clause 3. We have discussed the exemptions; we had a sympathetic answer from the Minister about films, TV and theatre; and we had a sensitive answer about hospices for terminally-ill patients and the like. The problem in the outside world is that the confidence factor for those who are being consulted will be fairly low because they will be aware that the Minister in another place made varying proposals which were all changed at the last minute on Report. I hope that the Minister will bear that in mind and that the Government in their consultations and discussions will put forward only proposals that they will really take forward. There could be nothing worse than for the Government to suggest to an organisation that it will be exempt and then to rat on it at the last moment. We have had a good debate and we have taken what the Minister said in good faith. If this goes forward in the manner he has suggested today, that will be encouraging. I also must put on record the Minister’s stubborn attitude towards members’ clubs, where the Bill will have a huge impact—not on the health of the members or of the people who work there but on the enjoyment and independence of 10 million people who absolutely love their clubs and their environment and do not want to be told by any government whether they may or may not smoke within the club.