I understand the hon. Gentleman's point, and I can confirm that it would never be my intention to make it harder for small retailers to survive; I do not think anybody would want that. Nevertheless, we have to act to counter the fact that many young people still take up smoking, and if we in this House can take measures to reduce that, we have a responsibility to consider them. It is my judgment that this can be done without causing the effect on small businesses that the hon. Gentleman described, provided that we can find the right point of balance so that we do not put an unfair burden on small shops. I hope the hon. Gentleman will work with us to find that point, because we still have some way to go before we reduce smoking rates among young people to a level that we would find acceptable.
Health Bill [Lords]
Proceeding contribution from
Andy Burnham
(Labour)
in the House of Commons on Monday, 8 June 2009.
It occurred during Debate on bills on Health Bill [Lords].
About this proceeding contribution
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493 c548 Session
2008-09Chamber / Committee
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