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Smoke-free (Penalties and Discounted Amounts) Regulations 2007

I warmly support the implementation of the instruments. I have the advantage over some of my noble colleagues in that I come from a part of the United Kingdom that is already smoke free; I shall try very hard not to sound superior during the rest of my brief remarks. The department would be well advised to pay attention to the experience of Scotland, which demonstrates beyond peradventure that if the preparation, the change in culture and the education both of the public and of those who are in the various trades and professions most directly affected by the regulations are approached early, fears are dealt with directly and openly. The Scottish experience shows that one can win the argument before the law starts to bite. If preparation and forethought is given to the introduction of the regulations, many of the problems that are anticipated will fall away. Scotland capitalised on the rather evident public support that obtained there, and the opinion poll evidence that I have seen to date suggests that that is also evident south of the border and in other parts of the United Kingdom, so that is something thatcan and should be done. Promoting effective co-ordination between local authorities and local government agencies is very important. The lead must be taken by local authorities and by government agencies as, I think, happened in Scotland. Benefits flowed directly from that. Informing employers, restaurants and others about the provisions of the smoke free law in advance of the legislation biting, in my experience, pays handsome dividends. I have two questions that relate to cost. The cost has been raised already in the Grand Committee. First, £29 million is certainly a large figure; although I am conscious of the fact that local government colleagues are always complaining that burdens are being placed by Parliament on local authority apparatus without the commensurate means to discharge the responsibilities at law. Therefore, I assume that £29 million is an outside figure. Certainly, in the Scottish experience, it was much less than had been bargained for because of the culture change that had been planned in advance of the implementation of the regulations. The Committee needs a little more explanation of the £29 million figure. The Children and Young Persons (Sale ofTobacco etc.) Order 2007 is welcome. However, at paragraph 30 of the Explanatory Memorandum, the Department of Health has suggested a cost for the communications campaign of around £1 million. That does not seem like a lot of money for an advertising campaign. To be effective in reaching young people, it would have to be television image-directed. I am no expert in modern advertising budgets, but £1 million does not seem to be a lot. If we are talking about money, the Committee would benefit from a little more information about the £29 million that is to be put in the hands of local authorities. At the same time, the Minister would make me sleep more easily in my bed if she could say something a little more extensive about the budget for advertising. Reaching young people as part of implementing the orders will be very important if we are to get the outcome that the Government seek.