---

Health Bill [HL]

I want to return to those points. I am somewhat surprised that the noble Earl, Lord Howe, seeks to talk on behalf of retailers in the kingdom, but has not sought any briefing or spoken to retailers in the area I come from, which is Northern Ireland. If anyone is going to speak against this ban, I would like them to tell me what they think is the difference between retailers in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and retailers in England. Why is it that the retailers of Northern Ireland support this ban? What is the difference? I totally agree with the arguments made by the noble Lord, Lord Faulkner. The whole thrust of the tobacco industry since the removal of advertising has been to get as many young kids as possible on to the idea of smoking because they are their future customers. I know a little bit about this topic, and it is not acceptable because it is like the drug pusher on the housing estate whose aim is to get as many children as possible on to his drugs. Tobacco manufacturers will use any means to get young people on to tobacco because they are their future customers. It would be terribly irresponsible of this Committee if we allowed this ban to be removed.