Tobacco Advertising and Promotion (Display of Prices) (England) Regulations 2010

My Lords, I support these regulations. We debated the legislation at length and I spoke at that time, so I shall not take too much time. I support the regulations banning cigarette sales from vending machines. We have discussed this before and know that voluntary guidelines have not worked. It has been said that other devices that could be used should have been piloted. In my view, that has already been done. Remote-control systems have been cited as new solutions, but the technology is not new and does not provide what we need. The option of using this technology was debated in the Commons on Report on the Health Bill, and some Members suggested that it would be simple to operate. In fact, it would be extremely problematic. In crowded bars, clubs and pubs it is unrealistic to expect staff to check ID and then to monitor an individual using a remote-control machine some distance from the bar while ignoring other customers trying to buy drinks. It is very possible that staff might end up releasing such machines without checking who wants to use them each time the alert is made. Trading standards in south-west England recently conducted follow-up test purchasing from vending machines following the introduction of the method. It found that a number of premises had made modifications, including fitting remote-control devices, following warnings about previously poor results. During the repeat test purchase, four out of five occasions resulted in a sale. The National Association of Cigarette Machine Operators gave evidence to the Scottish Government last year about its test purchasing trial of radio-frequency-controlled vending machines. Although it claimed its findings as a success, staff failed to ask for ID in one in five cases. Test purchasing was conducted when the pubs, with one exception, were categorised as not busy and therefore cannot give a realistic impression of how the technology would work at busy times. I therefore support these regulations and believe that the removal of vending machines will promote a reduction in the number of children taking up smoking. On the regulations on the display of prices, I have a great deal of sympathy with what the noble Earl, Lord Howe, said, but for different reasons. I would have gone further and banned point-of-sale displays altogether, including the display of prices. However, I have sympathy with some of the points he made about how this will work, including the point about Helvetica, but I support the regulations.