LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Thursday, 27th October 2005

Hewitt Defends Smoking Ban Plans

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has defended the plans for a partial ban on smoking in public places in England. Other measures in the Government’s Health Bill recently published include new hygiene code of conduct for health providers to help reduce hospital infections, tighter management of controlled drugs after the inquiry into the Shipman murders, and reform of the way chemists work and the role of chemists' staff.

This cowardly decision by the Cabinet is a blow for the thousands of people working in bars and clubs, whose lives will continue to be put at risk by secondhand smoke. It makes absolutely no sense to exempt pubs which do not serve food, because passive smoking damages your health whether you are serving pork chops or pork scratchings. The parts of the country where people are least healthy are also the places where fewer pubs serve food, so these plans will increase the health gap in Britain.

ENDS

  Stephanie Dearden

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting

Notes to editors

1. More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4380978.stm
2. If you would like to arrange an interview with Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Tooting Stephanie Dearden then please call 020-7771-2551 or 07985-649807 or 07754 583090
3. Official photographs here http://www.stephaniedearden.org/smd_mugs/index.htm