British American Tobacco Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Faulkner of Worcester
Main Page: Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Labour - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Faulkner of Worcester's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(7 years, 1 month ago)
Lords ChamberOn the second part of the question, in terms of specific numbers, I will write to my noble friend. He is right, as I have already said from the Dispatch Box, that our high commissioners do an incredible job in many sensitive and challenging areas. I refer not only to Her Excellency Alison Blake, but to all our high commissioners and ambassadors around the world. We should commend, not condemn, their efforts.
My Lords, I do not wish to condemn the activities of any representative of the British Government, but the policy enunciated by Andrew Lansley—now the noble Lord, Lord Lansley —in March 2012 was that he wanted tobacco companies to have “no business” in Britain and that,
“both at home and internationally, we will continue to act against the vested and commercial interests of the tobacco industry … My objective is to achieve smoke-free communities; theirs is to make a profit from selling intrinsically harmful products”.
Is that still the Government’s policy?