New Year for final smoke ban details?

28 September, 2006

Licensees may have to wait until as late as the New Year to find out the full details of the smoking ban.

A consultation on the guidelines was launched in July and the deadline for submissions is Monday, October 9.

But a Department of Health spokesman told The Publican it could take “two to three months” until the results of the consultation are published.

“It depends on how many responses there are, but all of them will be looked through, then the government will produce its own response,” the spokesman added.

The wide-ranging consultation covers the finer details of how the smoke-free legislation will be implemented and enforced. Views have been sought on issues such as possible exemptions and signage requirements for smoke-free establishments.

At last week’s Labour Party conference Tony Blair listed the smoking ban as one of his government’s major achievements.

But pro-smoking group FOREST reminded MPs that there is still major opposition to the ban with a series of advertisements and posters carrying slogans such as: ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘Smokers are Voters’ and ‘Nanny State? No thanks.’

Simon Clark, director of FOREST, said: “If the government continues to target and vilify a significant minority of the population with outright bans, many people could rebel and vote for a party that adopts a more reasonable approach.”