Health Bill [HL]

Yes, my Lords, a lot of small shops are run by people from the Commonwealth who provide a good service throughout the country, which might not be provided otherwise, to help the country and help families. We ought to take all these things into account when we consider banning the display of a legal substance. As we have heard, these provisions will also encourage sales of illegal cigarettes and rolling tobacco. This nasty piece of legislation, wrapped up as a means of discouraging children from taking up smoking, will not achieve its objective. The greater the temptation and the greater the danger perceived by young people, the more they want to do it, just for the hell of it. The noble Baroness, Lady Howarth, who is not in her place, referred to the health aspects of smoking. She said that there were 87,000 deaths from so-called smoking-related diseases. Most of those deaths did not involve people who smoked. Some 75 per cent of those people never smoked in their life. We have to put that figure into perspective. There are 620,000 deaths per annum; as a proportion of that figure, so-called smoking-related deaths make up only 14 per cent. So there are 533,000 deaths from other causes. Furthermore, most deaths from so-called smoking-related diseases occur among people over 65; indeed, a big proportion of those people are over 75. When we talk about the health aspect, we really should put it into its proper perspective. We shall be debating these matters in Grand Committee, when we will be able to explore them in more detail. However, I am most concerned and unhappy about a Bill of this importance being relegated to Grand Committee. It should be taken on the Floor of the House. I made Independent Labour representations about it to the usual channels, but of course they have not taken any notice. I made representations to both the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition to say that I, along with a lot of other people, was unhappy that this Bill should not be taken on the Floor of the House. But I have no doubt that the Grand Committee will be well attended and that we will have great debates there. Perhaps we can make some decent amendments so that smokers and those who sell and provide this service are not victimised further.