Parliamentary Matters 2
Our second visit to Parliament this week sees questions being made to the Secretary of State for Health and a discussion in the House of Commons
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by Dave Cross
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Our second visit to Parliament this week sees questions being made to the Secretary of State for Health and a discussion in the House of Commons. Labour’s Beccy Cooper is concerned about plans for the NHS, the Conservative’s Bob Blackman is worried about pouches, and Tory Kevin Hollinrake wants vape shops to suffer additional anti-free market legislation.
Worthing West’s Beccy Cooper asked the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care how the 10 year plan for the NHS will ensure that the NHS shifts from sickness to prevention.
Speaking for the Department for Health, Ashley Dalton told her: “The 10-Year Health Plan will set out broader actions for how we shift the health and care systems in England towards preventing ill-health rather than treating sickness. Through the 10-Year Health Plan we want to take action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers and ensure that the National Health Service uses its relationship with patients to help patients improve and protect their own health.
“We are already taking action, for instance enabling a smoke free generation through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and continuing the rollout of the NHS Health Check. We will build on the success of our vaccination and screening programmes and work with communities to understand what is preventing uptake.”
As has been covered on Planet of the Vapes multiple times, many experts fear the impact of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will be to grow the black market and increase smoking rates by driving ex-smokers back to tobacco.
As part of a Health and Social Care debate in the House of Commons, Bob Blackman, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Smoking and Health, said: “The Secretary of State may well be aware of the greater awareness among young people of nicotine pouches. That seems to be a gap in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill currently going through Parliament. Will he commit to look at this issue to ensure that it is covered and that we bar this alongside other forms of tobacco and nicotine?”
Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, replied: “As the honourable Gentleman knows through bitter experience, that rotten industry always finds a way, and we have to keep on top of it and tackle the scourge of nicotine addiction. He knows about this issue better than most, he having campaigned so assiduously on it, and he is right to raise it, so let us look at what we can do to strengthen the Bill, if we can, as it goes through Parliament.”
Pouches have been developed to aid smokers in their quit attempts and are responsible for driving Sweden to the lowest smoking rate in Europe. Streeting appears to be conflating independent companies with the tobacco industry once more.
Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Kevin Hollinrake asked the Secretary of State whether he plans to bring forward regulation on vaping stores in high streets and town centres.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care Ashley Dalton responded: “It is crucial that we reduce the visibility and accessibility of vapes to protect children from getting hooked on nicotine. That is why the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of vaping and nicotine products and will provide powers to introduce future regulations on where and how vapes and other nicotine products can be displayed within shops.
“Analysis and consultation will take place before any specific restrictions are introduced to ensure we are bringing about the most impactful change possible.
“The bill will also provide powers for ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products.
“Introducing a licensing scheme will strengthen enforcement, acting as a deterrent to rogue retailers who breach the law, while supporting legitimate businesses. The scheme will be subject to consultation before regulations are introduced.”
Industry body The UK Vaping Industry Association has long been advocating for a licensing scheme, a practical solution to illicit sales that wouldn’t cost the government any money. The government finally acquiesced towards the end of last year.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
