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Proceeding contribution from Earl Howe (Conservative) in the House of Lords on Thursday, 5 March 2009. It occurred during Debate on bill and Committee proceeding on Health Bill [HL].


Health Bill [HL]

The noble Baroness is absolutely right, and that point can be made with particular force in relation to Iceland. A display ban was introduced in 2001 and the evidence is pretty equivocal. There is some evidence for a decline in smoking prevalence amongst the young but, depending on what figures you look at, in my submission the trends are not conclusive. More to the point, though, what is not mentioned when people talk about Iceland is that, simultaneously with the introduction of the display ban, the Icelandic Government did three other things: they put up the price of cigarettes, they introduced restrictions on smoking in public places and they introduced a positive licensing system for retail sales. There is no way that anyone can say that the display ban has of itself influenced smoking behaviour in Iceland.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
708 c365GC 
Session
2008-09
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords Grand Committee
Subjects
Children Administration Advertising Canada Health services Finance Governing bodies Health hazards Exemptions Insolvency Innovation Health authorities NHS Patients NHS trusts NHS foundation trusts Standards Young people Shops Tobacco Iceland Prizes Monitor Care Quality Commission
Legislation
Health Bill (HL) 2008-09
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk