Found: We also have the Tobacco and Vapes Bill going through Parliament.

Found: We also have the Tobacco and Vapes Bill going through Parliament.

Found: (63.2%)5 1 Sarah Bool was absent between and 07.01.25 and 30.01.25 as she was on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: is very supportive of the Government’s plans to create a smokefree generation through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Bill ping pong (25 March); Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill ping pong (25 March); Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Parliamentary under-Secretary for Patient Safety, Women's Health and Mental Health, regarding the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Submission by JTI UK on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill Scrutiny evidence

Found: Letter from Lord Carlile of Berriew to Baroness Merron (Dept of Health and Social Care) re: Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: action to tackle behavioural risk factors for cardiovascular disease including the ambitious Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: If you take the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, there is very widespread public support for it across the political

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Public Health England guidance entitled Use of e-cigarettes in public places and workplaces, published in July 2016, whether it remains his policy to treat vaping differently from cigarette smoking when determining policies on (a) outdoor and (b) indoor consumption.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Our health advice is clear that whilst vapes can be an effective quit aid for adult smokers, children and adult non-smokers should never vape. The evidence on second-hand vaping is still developing and whilst the harm will be lower than smoking, the degree of harm is unlikely to be zero.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill gives the Government powers to make most public places and workplaces that are smoke-free also vape-free. Many places have already done this voluntarily. Exactly which settings should become vape-free will be a matter for secondary legislation and will be subject to a full consultation.

For the future regulations, we are considering including indoor settings which are currently subject to existing smoke-free legislation, such as pubs and restaurants, and outdoor spaces where high numbers of children and young people are present, for example, children’s playgrounds and schools. We are not specifically looking at banning vaping at outdoor bus stops and we have not conducted any assessments on this at this current moment in time.

We will follow the evidence and want to hear the views of the public, public health stakeholders, and businesses as part of our consultation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the merits of banning vaping at outdoor bus stops.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Our health advice is clear that whilst vapes can be an effective quit aid for adult smokers, children and adult non-smokers should never vape. The evidence on second-hand vaping is still developing and whilst the harm will be lower than smoking, the degree of harm is unlikely to be zero.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill gives the Government powers to make most public places and workplaces that are smoke-free also vape-free. Many places have already done this voluntarily. Exactly which settings should become vape-free will be a matter for secondary legislation and will be subject to a full consultation.

For the future regulations, we are considering including indoor settings which are currently subject to existing smoke-free legislation, such as pubs and restaurants, and outdoor spaces where high numbers of children and young people are present, for example, children’s playgrounds and schools. We are not specifically looking at banning vaping at outdoor bus stops and we have not conducted any assessments on this at this current moment in time.

We will follow the evidence and want to hear the views of the public, public health stakeholders, and businesses as part of our consultation.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to require cigarette manufacturers to switch to producing biodegradable butts.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Whilst the plastic component of filters is of concern, the chemicals, toxins and heavy metals contained within a littered cigarette butt also pose a danger to the environment. For this reason, Defra does not support a move to plastic-free or biodegradable filters which would likely contain the same pollutants and have not been shown to break down quicker if littered in the environment.

Tobacco litter remains a concern for Defra, with cigarette filters consistently scoring as the most littered item in surveys. Local authorities already have powers to punish those who litter them including through prosecution. They can also create smoke free areas through the use of Public Space Protection Orders.

Defra believes the best way to tackle littering of filters is through reductions in smoking rates. We therefore continue to support all initiatives designed to encourage people to quit smoking or prevent them from starting smoking. Indeed, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the Government is committed to creating a smoke-free generation, gradually ending the sale of tobacco products across the country and breaking the cycle of addiction and disadvantage.

We will continue to monitor the available evidence on the prevalence of littered cigarette filters before considering further action.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the merits of implementing a national strategy to tackle (a) the sale of (i) illegal tobacco and (ii) vapes and (b) money laundering.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK Government has national strategies to curb the sale of illegal tobacco and combat money laundering, and is developing a robust compliance framework for the upcoming Vaping Products Duty.

In January 2024, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Border Force launched their latest illicit tobacco strategy, “Stubbing Out the Problem”. This builds on a series of previous strategies which, together, have contributed to a significant reduction in the tobacco duty tax gap, from 21.7% in 2005/06 to 13.8% in 2023/24. Tackling the trade in illicit tobacco requires a comprehensive, cross-government approach and the latest strategy is supported by over £100 million in new Smokefree funding over five years to further enhance enforcement capabilities to disrupt both supply and demand across the entire tobacco supply chain.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, Vaping Products Duty (VPD) will come into effect on 1 October 2026. In preparation HMRC is developing a comprehensive compliance strategy to address the illicit vaping market. This includes vaping duty stamps and enhanced enforcement powers. These measures will be implemented before the duty goes live and will form part of a cross-government enforcement approach supporting provisions in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

The Government’s approach to tackling money laundering is embedded within the Economic Crime Plan 2 (2023–2026). This plan sets out what the public and private sectors should do to continue to transform the UK’s response to economic crime, including money laundering. HMRC supports several of the actions in their plan, such as anti-money laundering supervisory reform and targeted intelligence and operational work on high-harm money laundering methodologies.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the ban on single use vapes on the prevalence of vaping in schools.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The sale of vapes to under 18s is illegal, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of all consumer nicotine products to anyone under 18.

Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from school premises. The department supports head teachers in taking proportionate and measured steps to ensure good behaviour in schools.

To support schools to do so, the 'Behaviour in schools' guidance supports schools to develop a behaviour policy that will encourage good behaviour and set out the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour, including vaping anywhere in school.

Schools have the autonomy to decide which items should be banned from their premises, and these can include e-cigarettes or vapes. School staff can search pupils for banned items as outlined in the department’s Searching, Screening and Confiscation guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with schools on the potential impact of (a) children buying vapes from their peers and (b) preventing the use of vapes in schools on levels of (i) behaviour and (ii) teacher morale.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The sale of vapes to under 18s is illegal, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the sale of all consumer nicotine products to anyone under 18.

Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from school premises. The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour and the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour, including vaping anywhere in school.

The relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance states that, in both primary and secondary school, pupils should be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks. This includes smoking, alcohol use, and drug taking.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of oral nicotine pouches on public health.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Nicotine is the active ingredient in oral nicotine pouches, which is a highly addictive drug. Unlike vapes, nicotine pouches currently have no set nicotine limits, and nicotine strengths can be extremely high. The use of nicotine pouches is increasing, particularly among young men. Among adults in Great Britain, 5.4% tried nicotine pouches in 2024.

The Government is committed to protecting future generations from the harms of nicotine addiction. That is why, alongside vapes, we are taking action to control these products through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of all consumer nicotine products, ban their sale to anyone under 18 years old, and prohibit free distribution. The bill also provides powers to regulate the flavours, ingredients, which includes nicotine strength, packaging, and displays of vapes and nicotine products.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Leader of the House of Lords on the commencement date for the Committee stage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Ministers and officials from the Department are regularly in touch with their counterparts across Government. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has had its Second Reading in the House of Lords, and the Committee stage will take place when parliamentary time allows. We expect the bill to complete its passage within this parliamentary session.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that cigarette filter tips are included in the definition of relevant products in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill that are not allowed to be advertised or promoted.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 prohibits any advertisements whose purpose or effect is to promote a tobacco product. The Advertising Standards Authority’s rules state that marketing communications for cigarette filters should not encourage people to start smoking or increase their consumption.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill restates the restrictions on the advertising of tobacco products. We have no current plans to introduce additional restrictions on the advertising of filters through the bill.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made towards Smokefree 2030.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Smokefree 2030 was Government policy prior to and until the July 2024 General Election. The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help deliver our current ambition to create a smoke-free generation, gradually ending the sale of tobacco products across the country. Creating a smoke-free generation is expected to help reduce smoking rates of people aged between 14 and 30 years old to near zero by 2050.

To support current smokers, an additional £70 million is also being provided in 2025/26 to support local authority-led Stop Smoking Services in England, and the national Swap to Stop scheme, swapping cigarettes for vapes, and Smoke-free Pregnancy Incentives Scheme are also continuing.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take legislative steps to ensure vapes have a minimum number of refill options to be defined as reusable.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs introduced a ban on single use vapes on 1 June, which ensures that all products must be designed and intended to be reused. To be refillable, a product should have a replaceable pod or a tank that a user can add liquid to.

To compliment this and tackle youth vaping, the Department for Health and Social Care is also taking powers through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to enable regulation of many features of the design of a vape. This may include regulations on the size of a tank or refill container, the amount of liquid that can be included, as well as powers to standardise the size and shape of vapes, and to further restrict liquid availability.

The Government will consider this issue further as part of its secondary legislation programme following Royal Assent of the bill.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the four out of 10 cases of cancer which are preventable.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises the importance of primary and secondary prevention, to reduce the number of people with cancer.

There are significant national programmes across vaccination, screening, and education, which have the potential to support both reductions in cases of cancer, and increases in early diagnosis rates. For example, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination has led to a substantial reduction in cervical cancer cases. All children aged 12 to 13 years old in England, those in Year 8, are offered the HPV vaccine, and NHS England is taking action to increase uptake, as outlined in the NHS Cervical Cancer Elimination Plan. In addition, the NHS Cervical Screening Programme provides all women between the ages of 25 and 64 years old with the opportunity to be screened routinely to detect certain types of HPV infection, which is the cause of 99.7% of cervical cancer.

Smoking is the cause of 72% of all lung cancers, and in response to this, the Government is committed to creating a smoke-free generation through the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country.

The Government and the National Health Service also recognise that a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the biggest risk factors of certain cancers. To address risks related to overweight and obesity across the United Kingdom, the Government has laid secondary legislation to restrict advertisements of less healthy food and drink products, and is taking steps to ensure the Soft Drinks Industry Levy remains effective. In England, to promote physical activity, the NHS’s Better Health Campaign signposts people to digital support like the NHS Active 10 walking app. The Department will continue to work across the Government to understand how to reduce alcohol-related harms in England and the UK. The Government and the NHS recognise the importance of physical activity for the prevention and management of long-term health conditions.

The National Cancer Plan, planned for publication later this year, will set out how we will fight cancer on all fronts, from prevention to diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of US tariffs on Chinese vape products on the level of illegal Chinese vapes entering the UK.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are closely monitoring the impact of the tariffs introduced by the United States, and are prepared to act in the best interests of the United Kingdom, as shown through the Economic Prosperity Deal signed with the US in May. No assessment has been made of the specific impact of US tariffs on Chinese exports of vapes to the UK.

The Government is concerned about the access to and availability of vapes to children. This is why, alongside the measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the Government is investing £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 in Trading Standards. This will support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales in England and the implementation of the measures in the bill.

Furthermore, in October 2026, we are introducing a new Vaping Products Duty which will provide civil and criminal powers for HM Revenue and Customs to assess for duty and seize products and equipment used to produce or transport illicit products.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to prohibit the free distribution of nicotine vapes to children.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will end the current loophole which allows free samples of vaping and nicotine products to be given away to anyone of any age. This will come into force six months after Royal Assent of the bill.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, what his Department's planned timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to introduce new regulations to help reduce the appeal of vapes to children.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately promoted and advertised to children, to stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.

The bill includes a range of new regulation-making powers for the Government. Proposed regulations will be consulted on and subsequently laid. They will be implemented as soon as possible after the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has received Royal Assent.

The new age of sale restrictions for nicotine pouches will come into force six months after Royal Assent.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when age of sale restrictions will be brought into force for nicotine pouches.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately promoted and advertised to children, to stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine.

The bill includes a range of new regulation-making powers for the Government. Proposed regulations will be consulted on and subsequently laid. They will be implemented as soon as possible after the Tobacco and Vapes Bill has received Royal Assent.

The new age of sale restrictions for nicotine pouches will come into force six months after Royal Assent.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by Asthma Lung UK entitled Lung conditions kill more people in the UK than anywhere in Western Europe, published on 28 February 2022.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The report from Asthma + Lung UK highlights the relatively high mortality rate in the United Kingdom from lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. It asks for better and faster diagnosis, new treatments, new technology, and more action on prevention. These are consistent with the Government’s policies and priorities.

The Government has committed to delivering three big shifts that the National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.

This will support earlier diagnosis, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including respiratory conditions, closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. Taking action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers, such as enabling a smoke free generation through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, can further help prevent lung conditions.

On COPD and asthma specifically, the NHS is investing in the provision of more and better rehabilitation services for respiratory patients. This has the objective of improving outcomes through early diagnosis including via spirometry tests, and through increased access to treatments.

The NHS RightCare COPD pathway has been rolled out nationally and defines the optimal service for people with COPD. Furthermore, the National Respiratory Audit Programme aims to improve quality of care, services, and clinical outcomes for patients with asthma and COPD, by collecting and providing data on a range of indicators and pulmonary rehabilitation activity. A national programme of work is underway to support systems with improving access to Pulmonary Rehabilitation for the eligible population. Pulmonary rehabilitation is effective for people with COPD, improving exercise capacity or increased quality of life in 90% of patients who complete a programme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 51728, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients (a) improve and (b) protect their own health.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Whilst it is too early to say exactly what the 10-Year Health Plan will look like, what is certain is that delivering on prevention remains a priority as part of the plan’s three shifts, to get the health service and the nation’s health thriving once again. Through the 10-Year Health Plan, we want to take action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers and ensure the National Health Service uses its relationship with patients to help patients improve and protect their own health.

We have already taken action. For example, the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country and will ban vapes and other nicotine products from being deliberately branded and advertised to children.

The NHS Health Check aims to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease, as well as providing advice on reducing cardiovascular disease risk and referring people for support and treatment to improve their health. It is offered to eligible people aged between 40 and 74 years old once every five years. To improve access and engagement, we are developing a new online service that people can use at home to understand and act on their cardiovascular disease risk.

We already have one of the most extensive vaccination programmes in the world, with vaccine confidence and uptake rates among the highest globally. The Department is working with the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England to take steps to promote uptake by providing diverse delivery methods to make getting vaccinated easier, increasing outreach efforts to under-served groups, and raising awareness of the dangers of vaccine preventable diseases.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask 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.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

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.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to bring forward regulation on vaping stores in (a) high streets and (b) town centres.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

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.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to fund improved provisions for addiction support services in (a) South Holland and The Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to ensuring that anyone with a drug or alcohol problem can access the help and support they need, and we recognise the need for evidence-based, high-quality treatment.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing the local need for alcohol and drug prevention and treatment in their area, and for commissioning services to meet those needs. In addition to the Public Health Grant, in 2025/26, the Department is providing Lincolnshire with £3,382,494 from the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Improvement Grant and £217,783 from the Individual Placement and Support grant to improve drug and alcohol services and recovery support, which includes housing and employment. All funding is provided at the Lincolnshire level, and it is for Lincolnshire County Council to determine how to meet need in South Holland and The Deepings.

Alongside the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we are increasing our efforts to support smokers to quit and have invested an additional £70 million in 2024/25 and 2025/26 for all local authority commissioned stop smoking services in England. In each financial year, Lincolnshire has been allocated £1.1 million to invest in local stop smoking services, in addition to existing spend on these services from the Public Health Grant. The purpose of this investment is to boost capacity and demand for evidence-based support to quit smoking, and ensure we secure a smoke-free United Kingdom where no one is left behind.

In April 2025, a new statutory levy on gambling operators, expected to raise around £100 million per year, was introduced to fund the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms. The levy will be distributed across the three workstreams with 50% allocated to NHS England, alongside appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales, to commission the development of effective treatment and support services at national and sub-national levels.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to tackle the sale of (a) illegal and (b) unregulated vaping products to children and young people.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers selling illegal and unregulated vape products to children and young people. The bill introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices in England and Wales for certain tobacco and vape offences, including underage sales, enables the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and enables the introduction of a new registration scheme for tobacco, vape, and nicotine products sold in the United Kingdom’s market.

The Government is investing £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 into Trading Standards, to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales in England, and to support the implementation of the measures in the bill. This funding is being used to boost the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting approximately 80 new apprentices. The new funding will also support the storage and recycling of seized illicit vapes, the additional work to identify and seize illicit vape consignments at ports, and the training of Trading Standards officers on the new single use vapes ban.

The devolved administrations will need to fund the delivery of the devolved measures in the bill for their nations. The Barnett formula will apply in the usual way, and it is for the devolved administrations to allocate their funding in devolved areas as they see fit.

The introduction of a new Vaping Products Duty in October 2026 will provide civil and criminal powers to HM Revenue and Customs, in order to assess for duty and seize products and equipment used to produce or transport illicit vape products.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increased use of e-cigarettes on young people in Fylde constituency.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The health advice is clear, that while vapes are less harmful than smoking and can be an effective quit aid for smokers, children and non-smokers should never vape. The main established health risk associated with vaping is from nicotine, which can cause addiction. Children and young people are particularly susceptible to the addictive nature of nicotine as their lungs and brains are still developing.

This is why the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately promoted and advertised to children to stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine. The bill, currently going through Parliament, includes a range of measures to tackle youth vaping, which will benefit the young people of Fylde. In addition, the disposable vapes ban came into effect on 1 June, making the sale and supply of single use vapes illegal. This ban protects the environment and removes products from the market that particularly appeal to children.

We are also committed to funding research in this area to inform policy across the United Kingdom. Earlier this year, we announced a £62 million research project into adolescent health, funded by UK Research and Innovation, that will investigate the long-term health effects of vaping on young people’s health and wellbeing. We have also commissioned, via the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the most comprehensive analysis of youth vaping studies ever conducted in this area, which is due to be published later this year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May to Question 51955 on Electronic Cigarettes: Young People, what estimate he has made of the number of very high puff-count vaping devices which (a) are refillable and rechargeable and (b) contain a replaceable coil are available on the UK market.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes came into force on Sunday 1 June. It is therefore too early to make a reliable estimate of the number of high-puff count vaping devices which are refillable, reusable, and which contain a replaceable coil.

However, we are aware of a number of high-puff count vapes that are not captured by the single-use vape ban. The Department is taking powers through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill that will enable regulation of any high puff vape that is not captured by the ban. The bill provides powers on product features that allows the Government to regulate the size of a tank or refill container, and the amount of liquid that can be included, as well as powers to standardise the size and shape of vapes, and to further restrict liquid availability. In addition, the bill contains powers that allow us to regulate the amount of nicotine in a puff, so the Government is able to restrict the nicotine not only in the tank, but also the nicotine that can be emitted in the vapour.

The Government will consider this issue further as part of its secondary legislation programme after Royal Assent of the bill.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the use of vapes by children under 16 years of age in the London Borough of Hounslow.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is taking progressive national-level action through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to protect future generations from the harms of addiction and nicotine. The Bill includes strong measures to tackle youth vaping, including a ban on the sale of all vapes and nicotine products to children under the age of 18 years old and ending the free distribution of these products to anyone. The Bill will also ban the advertisement and sponsorship of all vapes and nicotine products and provides new powers to limit the flavours, packaging and changing where and how vapes and other nicotine products can be displayed.

The Bill also takes bold action to strengthen enforcement and tackle underage sales. This includes the introduction of new £200 fixed penalty notices to support Trading Standards to crack down on underage sales, and powers to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vape and nicotine products. Alongside the Bill, the Government is investing over £100 million over five years to boost HM Revenue and Customs and Border Force enforcement capability. The Government is investing £10 million of new funding in Trading Standards this year to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales. This funding is being used to boost the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting over 80 new apprentices. Hounslow has been allocated a new apprentice.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the powers available to local authorities to take enforcement action against shops unlawfully selling vapes.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Trading Standards Officers currently have a range of enforcement tools at their disposal to enforce age of sale restrictions and take a proportionate approach to enforcement that reflects the severity of the offence committed. When necessary, this includes prosecuting offenders which can result in courts imposing a fine of up to £2,500, and, in the case of repeat offences, applying for a restricted premises order or restricted sale order. £200 fixed penalty notices introduced by the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will complement existing sanctions and support Trading Standards to crack down on retailers selling to people underage.

To ensure that local authorities are provided with the appropriate powers to enforce measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, provisions in the Bill give Trading Standards Officers investigatory powers set out in Schedule 5 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Future regulations relating to vaping product requirements will also provide appropriate powers for enforcement authorities to carry out their duties.

We will complete a post-implementation review of the measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of penalties for the illegal sale of vaping products on those sales.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Trading Standards officers currently have a range of enforcement tools at their disposal to enforce age of sale restrictions and to take a proportionate approach to enforcement that reflects the severity of the offence committed. When necessary, this includes prosecuting offenders, which can result in a court imposed fine of up to £2,500, and, in the case of repeat offences, an application for a restricted premises order or restricted sale order. £200 fixed penalty notices, introduced by the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, will complement existing sanctions and support Trading Standards to crack down on retailers selling to underage people.

We will complete a post-implementation review of the measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in due course.

The sale and supply of single use vapes was banned on 1 June 2025. If a retailer repeatedly sells single use vapes, they can be charged with an unlimited fine, or a prison sentence of up to two years. We will work with enforcement agencies to monitor the impact and effectiveness of the ban, including the impact of the penalties.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on the environmental impact of disposable vapes.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

On 1 June the sale and supply of disposable vapes across the UK was banned, this will remove these harmful products from shelves and reduce the waste cause by their disposal. We will work closely with the Department of Health to ensure that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill continues to consider the environmental impacts of vaping.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce mandatory extended producer responsibility for the tobacco industry or a ban on single-use cigarette filters to reduce environmental impact.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government has no current plans to introduce mandatory extended producer responsibility to the tobacco industry or ban single-use cigarette filters.

Tobacco litter remains a concern for Defra, with cigarette filters consistently scoring as the most littered item in surveys. Local authorities already have powers to punish those who litter them including through prosecution.

Defra believes the best way to tackle littering of filters is through reductions in smoking rates. We therefore continue to support all initiatives to encourage people to quit smoking or prevent them from starting smoking. Through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the Government is committed to creating a smoke-free generation, gradually ending the sale of tobacco products across the country and breaking the cycle of addiction and disadvantage.

We will continue to monitor the available evidence on the prevalence of littered cigarette filters before considering further action.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide specific evidence that demonstrates a significant problem with youth initiation or widespread addiction related to handmade cigars, thereby justifying their inclusion in the ban set out in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Tobacco is the single most important, entirely preventable cause of ill health, disability, and death in this country, and is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths in the United Kingdom each year. There is no safe level of tobacco consumption. All tobacco products are harmful. We know that the tobacco smoke from cigars leads to the same type of diseases as the smoke from cigarettes.

A paper by Dr Sarah E Jackson, Dr Lion Shahab, and Dr Jamie Brown titled Trends in Exclusive Non-Cigarette Tobacco Smoking in England: A Population Survey 2013–2023 found that there are approximately five times more people exclusively smoking non-cigarette tobacco in England now than there were a decade ago, with the greatest increase seen in young adults. The products include cigars, pipes, shisha, and cigarillos. The data does not provide precise statistics for handmade cigars, and we do not hold the other detailed information on handmade cigars.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what specific evidential basis they have to show the impact of including handmade cigars in the ban set out in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on youth smoking initiation and reduction in tobacco addiction.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Tobacco is the single most important, entirely preventable cause of ill health, disability, and death in this country, and is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths in the United Kingdom each year. There is no safe level of tobacco consumption. All tobacco products are harmful. We know that the tobacco smoke from cigars leads to the same type of diseases as the smoke from cigarettes.

A paper by Dr Sarah E Jackson, Dr Lion Shahab, and Dr Jamie Brown titled Trends in Exclusive Non-Cigarette Tobacco Smoking in England: A Population Survey 2013–2023 found that there are approximately five times more people exclusively smoking non-cigarette tobacco in England now than there were a decade ago, with the greatest increase seen in young adults. The products include cigars, pipes, shisha, and cigarillos. The data does not provide precise statistics for handmade cigars, and we do not hold the other detailed information on handmade cigars.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory nutritional targets for large supermarket retailers.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to raising the healthiest generation of children ever and tackling the three biggest killers, which will require effort from across society, not just for obesity but also for alcohol and smoking.

We have made a start with the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and will continue to speak to partners across industry and civic society to best understand what actions help to change behaviours in a way that puts power in the hands of consumers.

As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, we are committed to achieving our Health Mission to build a National Health Service fit for the future, and under the 10-Year Health Plan, to shift from sickness to prevention. Making the healthier choice the easier choice is a major part of creating a food environment that is fairer, with the fewest lives lost to the biggest killers, and where everyone lives well for longer.

As part of considerations around mandatory healthiness targets, the previous administration brought together the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP), a shared programme of work across the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, and the Food Standards Agency. Separate from the eco strand of FDTP headed by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, the FDTP health strand was paused at the election and is being reviewed alongside other obesity policies.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the lower price point of very high puff-count vapes on youth vaping.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has not made a direct assessment of the potential impact of the lower price point of high puff-count vapes on youth vaping. However, it is incredibly worrying that 25% of 11 to 15 year old had tried vaping, as of 2023. To address this, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the advertising of vaping and nicotine products, as well as sponsorship agreements which promote them. It also provides powers to limit flavours, packaging, and displays, and provides powers that allow the Government to regulate the tank sizes and refill containers, and the amount of liquid that can be included. The Government intends to consult on these issues soon after Royal Assent.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs is introducing a ban on single-use vapes, which is defined as a vape that is neither refillable nor rechargeable, and if it has a coil, the coil must be replaceable. This will capture most “big puff” vapes currently on the market.

Alongside this, and to discourage non-smokers and young people from taking up vaping, the Government will be introducing the Vaping Products Duty, which will come into force from 1 October 2026. The duty will be set at a single flat rate of £2.20 per 10 millilitre on all vaping liquid.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of levels of deprivation on lung health in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency, (b) Staffordshire and (c) England.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.

More tests and scans delivered in the community will allow for earlier diagnosis, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including respiratory conditions, closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates.

The prevalence of smoking in adults, current smokers who are 18 years old and over, in Newcastle under Lyme and Staffordshire is lower than the overall England average, at 8.8% and 9.0% respectively, compared to the overall England average of 12.4%.

Urgent cancer referrals for suspected lung cancer in the Staffordshire and Stoke Integrated Care Board are much higher than the England average. However, the mortality rate from lung cancer, chronic obstructive airways disease, heart disease, and stroke associated with smoking in Staffordshire is similar to the England average.

We are taking action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers, for instance by enabling a smoke free generation to further help prevent lung conditions.

It is the most disadvantaged who suffer the most from the financial and health burden of smoking, with 230,000 households living in smoking induced poverty and with smoking being the number one preventable cause of death, disability, and ill health, claiming the lives of approximately 80,000 people a year in the United Kingdom, and being the leading cause of lung cancer. The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will create the first smoke-free generation, ending the cycle of addiction and disadvantage and putting us on track to a smoke-free UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people born on or after 1 January 2009 who will continue to smoke if the provisions of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill are enacted.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Tobacco is the single most important entirely preventable cause of ill health, disability, and death in this country, and is responsible for 80,000 deaths in the United Kingdom each year. The majority of smokers start in their youth and are then addicted for life. More than four in five smokers start before the age of 20 years old.

As a result of Government action, smoking rates have declined in all ages since the 1970s, but there is still much further to go. Legislation has been an important driver of this decline, including raising the age of sale for smoking from 16 to 18 years old, which reduced prevalence in this age group by 30%.

The available data does not allow us to estimate the number of people under 18 years old that smoke and vape in England, and the data that is available is not comparable as it covers different age groups and countries. However, using the NHS Smoking Drink and Drugs survey data, we estimate that the number of 11 to 15 year olds regularly smoking in England is 42,000 in 2023. We do not have similar data for years 2022 and 2024. Using the Action on Smoking and Health GB survey data, we estimate that the number of children aged 11 to 17 years old that regularly use a vape in Great Britain, which can also be called an e-cigarette, is 169,000 in 2022, 206,000 in 2023, and 234,000 in 2024.

Our modelling of the estimated impact of the Smokefree Generation (SFG) policy on smoking rates is presented in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill Impact Assessment. In the central scenario we modelled, smoking prevalence among those aged 18 years old and over is estimated to fall from 11.6% in 2023 to 1.6% in 2056. In terms of the number of smokers, we estimate this is equivalent to approximately 700,000 smokers aged 18 years old and over in 2056 when SFG is implemented, compared to approximately 2.4 million smokers aged 18 years old and over if not implemented.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people in England under the age of 18 who regularly used (1) a vape, (2) an e-cigarette, or (3) smoked tobacco, in each of the years 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Tobacco is the single most important entirely preventable cause of ill health, disability, and death in this country, and is responsible for 80,000 deaths in the United Kingdom each year. The majority of smokers start in their youth and are then addicted for life. More than four in five smokers start before the age of 20 years old.

As a result of Government action, smoking rates have declined in all ages since the 1970s, but there is still much further to go. Legislation has been an important driver of this decline, including raising the age of sale for smoking from 16 to 18 years old, which reduced prevalence in this age group by 30%.

The available data does not allow us to estimate the number of people under 18 years old that smoke and vape in England, and the data that is available is not comparable as it covers different age groups and countries. However, using the NHS Smoking Drink and Drugs survey data, we estimate that the number of 11 to 15 year olds regularly smoking in England is 42,000 in 2023. We do not have similar data for years 2022 and 2024. Using the Action on Smoking and Health GB survey data, we estimate that the number of children aged 11 to 17 years old that regularly use a vape in Great Britain, which can also be called an e-cigarette, is 169,000 in 2022, 206,000 in 2023, and 234,000 in 2024.

Our modelling of the estimated impact of the Smokefree Generation (SFG) policy on smoking rates is presented in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill Impact Assessment. In the central scenario we modelled, smoking prevalence among those aged 18 years old and over is estimated to fall from 11.6% in 2023 to 1.6% in 2056. In terms of the number of smokers, we estimate this is equivalent to approximately 700,000 smokers aged 18 years old and over in 2056 when SFG is implemented, compared to approximately 2.4 million smokers aged 18 years old and over if not implemented.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of extra enforcement officers required in each local authority to ensure that people born on after 1 January 2009 do not purchase tobacco products if the provisions of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill are enacted.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

History shows that when we have introduced targeted tobacco control measures, the size of the illicit market has not increased and in fact continued to fall. When the age of sale was increased from 16 to 18 in 2007, prevalence in this age group reduced by 30% and the number of illicit cigarettes consumed overall fell by 25% from 10 billion in 2005/06 to 7.5 billion in 2007/08.

The Department will conduct a New Burdens Assessment to assess the impact of policies in the Bill on local authorities prior to the Bill receiving Royal Assent. At this stage, we have not made a specific assessment of the number of additional enforcement officers needed in each local authority. However, we have engaged with National Trading Standards, the Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers' Board and Trading Standards regions to identify where to additional support and funding is needed to enforce the provisions in the Bill. As a result, an additional £10 million funding for Trading Standards was announced on 23 March 2025 which will bolster operations in local communities for the next year. This will fund an expected 80 more apprentice enforcement officers to tackle underage sales and prevent harmful tobacco and vape products finding their way into neighbourhood shops. We have allocated the apprenticeship funding regionally, based on smoking and vaping prevalence in the area, to target the areas where enforcement will most likely be needed.

In total, we will invest £30 million of new funding in 2025/26 for enforcement agencies including Trading Standards, Border Force and HM Revenue and Customs to tackle the illicit and underage sale of tobacco and vapes, supporting the implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle the sale of illegal vapes in Portsmouth.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is investing £10 million of new funding into Trading Standards for 2025/26, to support the enforcement of illicit and underage tobacco and vape sales in England, and the implementation of the measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

The Trading Standards South East region, which includes Portsmouth, has been allocated funding for new apprentices to boost workforce capacity, alongside further funding for the storage and recycling of seized illicit vapes. The new funding will also support other activity, including additional work to identify and seize illicit vapes consignments at ports, and training for Trading Standards officers on the new single use vapes ban.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce the correlation between deprivation and lung conditions.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our National Health Service needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the country.

More tests and scans delivered in the community will allow for earlier diagnosis, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including respiratory conditions, closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help prevent deterioration and improve survival rates. Taking action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers, such as enabling a smoke free generation, can further help prevent lung conditions.

It is the most disadvantaged who suffer the most from the financial and health burden of smoking, with 230,000 households living in smoking induced poverty, and with smoking being the number one cause of preventable death, disability, and ill health, claiming the lives of approximately 80,000 people a year in the United Kingdom, as well as being the leading cause of lung cancer. The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will create the first smoke-free generation, ending the cycle of addiction and disadvantage, and putting us on track to a smoke-free UK.

The NHS England Core20PLUS5 approach strives to inform action that targets the most deprived 20% of the population and other inclusion health groups, with the aim of reducing health inequalities.

The approach focuses on improving the five clinical areas at most need of accelerated improvement, those being cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory, maternity, and mental health outcomes, in the poorest 20% of the population, along with other disadvantaged population groups identified at a local level.

The Department is also working across Government on ways to reduce the health harms of air pollution, including with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support their plans for cleaner air, so that everyone’s exposure to air pollution is reduced.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle the sale of illegal nicotine pouches.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Great Britain, nicotine pouches are currently regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, meaning they are subject to general product safety requirements enforced by Trading Standards, including labelling with safety information and instructions for use.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will enhance the regulation of nicotine pouches by providing powers to restrict product packaging and flavours. Powers in the bill will also allow the Government to limit the amount of nicotine in a pouch, as well as ban any other ingredient that might be harmful.

The Government is taking a range of action to tackle illegal nicotine pouches and protect young people from potential harms. The bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers by enabling the introduction of a retail licensing scheme in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The bill also provides powers to develop a new registration system for all tobacco, vape, and nicotine products. This will help Trading Standards to enforce our rules on product requirements and support improving consumer safety.

Alongside the bill, the Government has announced £10 million of new funding in 2025/26 to Trading Standards, to tackle illicit and underage sales, and to support the implementation of the measures in the bill. This funding will be used to boost the Trading Standards workforce by recruiting approximately 80 new apprentices.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the introduction of a retailer licensing scheme, as outlined in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will be the biggest public health intervention in a generation—tackling the harms of smoking, breaking the cycle of addition, and paving the way for a smoke-free UK. The Bill provides powers for Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes and nicotine products. This will strengthen enforcement and support Trading Standards to crack down on rogue retailers.

The licensing scheme will be introduced in regulations, following consultation on the details of the scheme.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, and will continue to do so as the regulations are developed, to ensure the successful implementation of the scheme.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle the sale of illegal vapes in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers by enabling ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products. The bill also enables the introduction of a new registration scheme for tobacco, vape, and nicotine products sold in the United Kingdom’s market. This will help ensure products are compliant with product safety standard requirements, and enable Trading Standards to remove non-compliant products from the market quickly and efficiently.

In 2025/26 we will invest £10 million of new funding into Trading Standards, to enhance their work in tackling the illicit and underage sale of tobacco and vapes, and to support the implementation of the bill. This funding will be used to recruit approximately 80 new regionally coordinated apprentices in England. This will benefit all regions, including the East Midlands, which covers South Holland and the Deepings and Lincolnshire.

The introduction of a new Vaping Products Duty in October 2026 will provide civil and criminal powers for HM Revenue and Customs to assess for duty and seize products and equipment used to produce or transport illicit vapes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how he plans to implement the Tobacco and Vapes Bill across all parts of the United Kingdom.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is United Kingdom-wide, and has been developed in partnership with the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Department of Health and Social Care in England will work with the devolved administrations to implement the measures in the bill, including future regulations, once the bill receives Royal Assent.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that outdoor hospitality areas remain outside the scope of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will put us on track towards a smoke-free UK, was introduced to Parliament on 5 November 2024. On 26 March 2025, MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of advancing the Bill to the next Parliamentary stage and it has now entered the House of Lords.

The Bill allows us to expand current indoor smoking restrictions to outdoor public places and workplaces. However, we have been very clear that in England, we intend to consult on extending smoke-free places to outside schools, children’s playgrounds and hospitals but not outdoor hospitality settings or wider open spaces like beaches. Private outdoor spaces are out of scope of the powers in the Bill.

We do not intend to extend these powers further than this at this time and recognise that now would not be the right time to consult on making outdoor hospitality settings smoke-free in England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill does not lead to (a) restrictions and (b) bans on smoking in outside areas of hospitality businesses.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will put us on track towards a smoke-free UK, was introduced to Parliament on 5 November 2024. On 26 March 2025, MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of advancing the Bill to the next Parliamentary stage and it has now entered the House of Lords.

The Bill allows us to expand current indoor smoking restrictions to outdoor public places and workplaces. However, we have been very clear that in England, we intend to consult on extending smoke-free places to outside schools, children’s playgrounds and hospitals but not outdoor hospitality settings or wider open spaces like beaches. Private outdoor spaces are out of scope of the powers in the Bill.

We do not intend to extend these powers further than this at this time and recognise that now would not be the right time to consult on making outdoor hospitality settings smoke-free in England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce restrictions on the flavours and packaging of nicotine pouches.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data from August 2024 by ASH suggests that 1.2% of children aged between 11 and 18 years old currently use nicotine pouches. The Government is concerned that these products, just like vapes, are being branded and marketed to appeal to children through colourful packaging and flavours. There is currently no set nicotine limit for nicotine pouches, and nicotine strengths vary from two milligrams per pouch to as high as 150 milligrams per pouch.

That is why, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we are banning the advertisement and sponsorship of these products, introducing age of sale restrictions to people aged 18 years old for nicotine pouches, banning free samples, and providing powers to restrict packaging, flavours, and point of sale displays.

These powers will also allow the Government to limit the amount of nicotine in a pouch, as well as ban any other ingredient that might be harmful in a pouch. We will therefore be able to regulate, subject to consultation, to ensure that nicotine pouches are limited to an appropriate strength.

We will consult on these regulations as soon as possible once the bill has received Royal Assent.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle the rise in illegal high-strength nicotine pouches.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data from August 2024 by ASH suggests that 1.2% of children aged between 11 and 18 years old currently use nicotine pouches. The Government is concerned that these products, just like vapes, are being branded and marketed to appeal to children through colourful packaging and flavours. There is currently no set nicotine limit for nicotine pouches, and nicotine strengths vary from two milligrams per pouch to as high as 150 milligrams per pouch.

That is why, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we are banning the advertisement and sponsorship of these products, introducing age of sale restrictions to people aged 18 years old for nicotine pouches, banning free samples, and providing powers to restrict packaging, flavours, and point of sale displays.

These powers will also allow the Government to limit the amount of nicotine in a pouch, as well as ban any other ingredient that might be harmful in a pouch. We will therefore be able to regulate, subject to consultation, to ensure that nicotine pouches are limited to an appropriate strength.

We will consult on these regulations as soon as possible once the bill has received Royal Assent.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many hospital admissions for preventable cardiovascular disease there have been in each of the past three years.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not hold data on the number of admissions for cardiovascular disease which are preventable. However, we know that up to 70% of cardiovascular disease is preventable and linked to behavioural, metabolic, and environmental risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, living with obesity, and air pollution.

The Government is tackling the root cause of preventable heart disease and stroke through the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill, implementing advertising regulations for less healthy food and drink to children on television and online, and giving councils stronger, clearer powers to block the development of new fast-food shops near schools.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the health implications of using nicotine pouches, particularly for oral health.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data from August 2024 by ASH suggests that 1.2% of children aged between 11 and 18 years old currently use nicotine pouches. A copy of the report in which this data is contained is attached.

There is currently limited research and evidence into the harms of nicotine pouches, including implications for oral health. However, they are never recommended for children. Nicotine, the active ingredient in pouches, is a highly addicted drug, and we have a duty to protect children and young people from future harm and addiction. Advice on the health impacts of nicotine can be found on the Talk to Frank website.

That is why, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we are banning the advertisement and sponsorship of these products, introducing age of sale restrictions to 18 years old for nicotine pouches, banning free samples, and providing powers to restrict packaging, flavours, and point of sale displays.

We will continue to monitor the use of these products and will update public health guidance and messaging accordingly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of children and young people using nicotine pouches.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Data from August 2024 by ASH suggests that 1.2% of children aged between 11 and 18 years old currently use nicotine pouches. A copy of the report in which this data is contained is attached.

There is currently limited research and evidence into the harms of nicotine pouches, including implications for oral health. However, they are never recommended for children. Nicotine, the active ingredient in pouches, is a highly addicted drug, and we have a duty to protect children and young people from future harm and addiction. Advice on the health impacts of nicotine can be found on the Talk to Frank website.

That is why, through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, we are banning the advertisement and sponsorship of these products, introducing age of sale restrictions to 18 years old for nicotine pouches, banning free samples, and providing powers to restrict packaging, flavours, and point of sale displays.

We will continue to monitor the use of these products and will update public health guidance and messaging accordingly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a ban on the (a) marketing and (b) advertising of (i) e-cigarette and vaping products, (ii) non-medically licensed nicotine products and (iii) heated tobacco products on the number of adults switching from cigarettes to alternatives.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The health advice is clear that vaping is only recommended for adult smokers who wish to quit smoking. Youth vaping has more than doubled in the last five years with one in four children aged between 11 and 15 years old having tried vaping in 2023. It is unacceptable that vapes are deliberately promoted and advertised to children, and this must be stopped to prevent future generations from being hooked on nicotine.

The Government has published a thorough impact assessment of the measures included in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, including the prohibition on the advertising of vaping products and nicotine products.

Public health messaging and campaigns will continue to support the promotion of vapes as a quit aid for smokers, as outlined on the Better Health and National Health Service websites. Additionally, the Government is committed to supporting smokers to quit, through a range of services. We are investing an additional £70 million in 2025/26 for local Stop Smoking Services in England and are working to ensure all NHS hospitals offer ‘opt-out’ smoking cessation purposes.

All tobacco products are harmful to health. There is evidence of toxicity from heated tobacco in laboratory studies. The aerosol generated by heated tobacco also contains carcinogens, and there will be a risk to the health of anyone using these products.

The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 prohibits the advertisement and sponsorship of tobacco products, and that prohibition applies to tobacco products intended to be smoked, sniffed, sucked or chewed. It is the Department’s view that the legislation applies to any tobacco product, regardless of when it was developed, and that heated tobacco products and the heating device to be used with it are caught under this legislation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle the sale of illegal vapes in Surrey Heath constituency.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will strengthen the enforcement of vape sales regulations by giving Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland the ability to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco, vapes and nicotine products. The licensing scheme will support Trading Standards to crack down on rogue vape retailers. The Bill also enables the introduction of a new registration scheme for tobacco, vape and nicotine products sold on the United Kingdom market. This will help ensure products are compliant with product safety and standards requirements and will enable Trading Standards to remove non-compliant products from the market quickly and efficiently.

In 2025/26, we will invest £10 million of new funding in Trading Standards to enhance their work to tackle the illicit and underage sale of tobacco and vapes, and support the implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

The introduction of a new Vaping Products Duty in October 2026 will provide civil and criminal powers for HM Revenue and Customs to assess for duty and seize products and equipment used to produce or transport illicit vape products.

Found: includes several references relevant to mitigating modifiable risk factors:8 • Deliver on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: HL Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee 22nd Report of Session 2024–25 (PDF), Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Tobacco and Vapes Bill: HL Bill 89 of 2024–25

We are calling for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to go further and ban the sale of all nicotine products, including vapes, to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. We think this would protect those already harmed by marketing campaigns and mean vapes are used only as smoking cessation tools.

Found: We are calling for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to go further and ban the sale of all nicotine products

Found: Specifically, we will: • deliver on our world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will mean that children

Found: Specifically, we will: • deliver on our world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will mean that children

Found: return Nil return Christopher Whitty 06/01/2025 UK Chief Medical Officer's meeting To discuss tobacco and vapes bill

Found: Chief Medical Officer's meeting

Found: Andrew Gwynne 15/01/2025 Smoking and Health APPG, Action on Smoking and Health To discuss the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Action on Smoking and Health

Found: Expansion of Core20PLUS5 programmee with over 540 local coordinators • Introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: behaviour does not change then further regulations will be possible following the passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: The ban will complement the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will tackle youth vaping and

Found: from illicit tobacco and vapes have been unveiled today (Sunday 22 March) as the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: • The Tobacco and Vapes Bill and the Mental Health Bill introduced.

Found: the dental contract (Dentistry Rescue Plan) (Department of Health and Social Care) • the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Specifically, we will: • deliver on our world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will mean that children

Found: Specifically, we will: • deliver on our world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will mean that children

Found: costs the NHS approximately £1.8 billion every year in England alone.9 While we welcome the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Specifically, we will: • de liver on our world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will mean that

Found: Letter dated 25/03/2025 from Ashley Dalton MP to MPs regarding issues raised in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: considered powers to make subordinate legislation within devolved competence in four LCMs— • The Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: A Tobacco and Vapes Bill was originally introduced in the House of Commons by the Conservative UK Government

Found: breakdown is provided below: LCMs • Renters Rights Bill • Product Regulation and Metrology Bill • Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill This report sets out the Health, Social

Found: delegated powers exercisable within devolved competence conferred on Scottish Ministers in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Regulation and Metrology Bill (UK Parliament legislation) • Data (Use and Access) Bill • Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: regulations and EH on specialist cigar sellers and how they will be legislated under the new tobacco and vapes bill

Found: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill that was introduced into the UK Parliament in November 2024 includes powers

Found: Medical Officers (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) publicly endorsed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: A detailed presentation which provided an overview of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill along with specific

Found: ConferenceAndrew Gwynne MPTobacco and Vapes Policy2024-11-04 00:00:00Media / VirtualPre Recording for tobacco and vapes bill

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale will be for its consultation on a full ban on indoor vape usage.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now entered into committee stage in the House of Lords. Following the conclusion of the Bill’s passage through Westminster, we expect to consult on the extension of restrictions on smoke-free places.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to broaden the types of places that can be designated smoke-free.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now entered into committee stage in the House of Lords. Following the conclusion of the Bill’s passage through Westminster, we expect to consult on the extension of restrictions on smoke-free places.

Found: motion considered Consent decision Data (Use and Access) Bill 1 April 2025 Consent granted Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Consent grantedxix Data (Use and Access) Bill Consent recommended 1 April 2025 Consent granted Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: 2025 Partial consent recommended (i.e. consent to some, but not all, relevant provisions) Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 Legislative Consent Memorandums 2 Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 Legislative Consent Memorandums 2 Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: 9 January 2025 Dear colleague Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: The measures proposed in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill fully complement this strategy and will enable Wales

Found: Research UK for the Health and Social Care Committee Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Social Care Committee’s scrutiny of the Legislative Consent Memorandum (“the LCM”) on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Senedd Health and Social Care Committee Scrutiny of the Legislative Consent Memorandum: Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill Trading Standards Wales (TSW) represents

Found: the Senedd Health and Social Care Committee on the Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Health and Social Care Committee Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill Philip

Found: Health and Social Care Committee’s call for comments on the Legislative Consent Memorandum Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Health and Social Care Committee’s scrutiny of the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Date / Dyddiad: 24.01.2025 Subject / Pwnc: Legislative Consent Memorandum – UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: 1 LEGISLATIVE CONSENT MEMORANDUM TOBACCO AND VAPES BILL 1.

Found: Constitution Committee to consider and report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill 1.

Found: February 2025 The Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Constitution Committee to consider and report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Constitution Committee to consider and report on the Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: (Amendment) Bill – The Senedd had not voted on whether to grant consent to the Bill; ▪ Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: evidence paper refers to the UK Government’s action on tobacco and vaping, including the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: 1 SUPPLEMENTARY LEGISLATIVE CONSENT MEMORANDUM (MEMORANDUM NO 2) Tobacco and Vapes Bill 1

Found: The Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill Welsh Government

Found: consider and report on the Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (No. 2) on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Welsh Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No.2) on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: Welsh Government’s Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 2) on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill Background 1.

Found: response to the Health and Social Care Committee on the Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill

Found: The UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill has the potential to radically transform our relationship with smoking