Tobacco and Vapes Bill (Fifth sitting)

Beccy Cooper Excerpts

Tuesday 14th January 2025 Public Bill Committees

[Dr Beccy Cooper (Worthing West) (Lab)]

I have quick and pragmatic point about the different uses of cigarette papers. I am a mum and a saxophone player myself, and I suggest that other materials can be used in the place of cigarette papers. I appreciate the debate, but I do not think this is about a pragmatic use.

[Andrew Gwynne]

That is precisely the point I was coming to. We will take the argument away because it is a reasonable argument, and we will perhaps consider returning to this issue on Report.

I know that the shadow Minister has every sympathy with the fact that cigarette papers are dangerous when used for the consumption of tobacco, which is what we want to bear down on. As I have said, there are powers in part 5 to restrict the flavours of cigarette papers, but we want to get the balance right so we will take the argument away and consider it.

--- Later in debate ---

Therefore, when developing guidance on the size of the notice, how will the Minister balance the need for it to be easily readable by someone at a relevant distance—that is, when they are standing at the till—with the need for it to be practical? If the retailer—perhaps a small retailer—is required to produce signs for not just the age for tobacco products but, potentially, the age for alcohol or other products, and is required to display signs for each of those individual notices and regulations, how will the Minister ensure that it is actually possible to display all the different signs in all the different right fonts? Would he consider that, if a retailer is selling a range of products that are age restricted, there could be signs that cover more than one product to make this clear to the public while not taking up all of the potential advertising and—

[Dr Beccy Cooper]

I just wanted to clarify something with the hon. Lady, because she is talking about the size of the signs in Wales, under clause 6, I think. Clause 6(4) says:

“The notice must comply with any requirements set out in regulations made by the Welsh Ministers”.

I presume that that is the response that she is looking for: the Welsh Ministers will absolutely be able to decide on the size of the signs.

[Dr Johnson]

I thank the hon. Lady for that.