Health Bill [Lords]

I guess that that tells us a little about the Opposition's interest in these issues, as compared with that of Government Members. As I was about to say, social care users who arrange their own care will be able to raise a complaint with a local government ombudsman. Last but not least, smoking is one of the most serious public health challenges and a major cause of health inequality. The aim of Government policy is to reduce the incidence of illness and death caused by tobacco. We have a particular responsibility to protect children and young people from taking up smoking, and that will ensure that young people from all backgrounds have a fair chance to enjoy a healthy life. We had some impassioned, knowledgeable and eloquent contributions. My right hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley, my hon. Friend the Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor), the right hon. Member for North-West Hampshire and my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield made clear the need for more action. Tobacco marketing through point-of-sale display is no longer acceptable, because we know that it promotes positive attitudes towards smoking, encourages people to start smoking, prompts impulse buying and undermines efforts to quit. The Opposition's denial on that issue is utterly bizarre, because the evidence exists for the taking of action to remove the display of tobacco products in shops in order to help protect children and young people from the marketing of them and the harm that smoking causes. The Opposition's proposals on proxy purchasing and plain packaging are, if I may say so, a bit of a smokescreen for their failure to address the issues. There are many aspects of the Bill. Its overall purpose is to help the NHS achieve the high ambitions of the next stage review. We will review the effects of the new requirements on restricting the sale of cigarettes from vending machines; if the requirements are not successful, we will move to ban cigarette vending machines altogether. I commend the Bill to the House. Question put and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time.