Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer on 18 May 2021 to Question 170 on Tobacco, in the context of the decision of the Ninth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Second Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP2) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products to meet virtually, if he will extend the UK’s delegation to include (a) advocates for the Government’s harm reduction policies and (b) consumers as per the recommendations of the all-party Parliamentary group for Vaping's inquiry into COP9 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control published on 31 March 2021.

Departmental officials will be attending the virtual Ninth World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference of the Parties (COP9). Officials from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will be attending the virtual Second Session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP2). As COP9 and MOP2 are Government-led events, no other representatives will be attending.

Whilst the agenda and papers for COP9 and MOP2 have not been circulated, officials will use the opportunity to speak about the United Kingdom’s progress on the implementation of tobacco control policies. This will include, where relevant, the role of nicotine replacement therapy and e-cigarettes in supporting smokers to quit.