Gov't smoke ban regs in pubs soon
The Government's smoke ban regulations could be published within weeks - not months - the Morning Advertiser has learnt after the Department of Health admitted a mix-up.
Last week the Morning Advertiser was told by the DoH that regulations could not be released until after the Health Bill had received Royal Assent.
We will publish the regulation as soon as possible.Health Minister Caroline Flint.
The news prompted fears that with Parliament closing for summer recess from July to October, the regulations may not be published until just before Christmas - giving licensees and pubcos just a few weeks to prepare for a 2007 ban.
However, this week the DoH backtracked on its previous assertions and admitted - after pressure from trade groups and the Morning Advertiser - that it hoped to get the regulations out soon - regardless of the legislative state of the Health Bill.
Health Minister Caroline Flint told the Morning Advertiser that discussions were well underway and she was hopeful of getting the regulations out soon.
She said: "We want to get the regulations right. That's why we are talking to all of the key stakeholders affected by this change. We will publish the regulation as soon as possible."
A spokesman for her office said last week's assertions that nothing could happen until the Health Bill had received Royal Assent were incorrect.
The spokesman said: "This is not the case. We want to publish them as soon as possible and parliamentary discussions won't effect the timetable of that."
The Health Bill is currently in the House of Lords and is due to get its Second Reading on June 19.
From there it will have to pass through the Commons once more before achieving Royal Assent.
It is unlikely all this could be achieved before Parliament breaks for summer recess on July 25.
The British Beer and Pub Association has welcomed the news the regulations could be in the hands of the trade sooner than thought.
Spokesman Neil Williams said: "We think it is vital that the regulations, or at least a draft form, are published as soon as possible so pubs can prepare. We would welcome any move by the Government to get them in the public domain. This legislation will mean a dramatic change for pubs and licensees and it's vital they have as much time as possible to make preparations."
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Your CommentsBill Gibson via email 08/06/2006"This is after all 'Tell the Truth Day' but can we believe this Government Agency. It is fine to make statements but Caroline Flint should have been wired to a lie detector first. Any guidelines will be deemed useless should the House of Lords reject the ban and send amendments back to the Commons. As was shown yesterday it is still not cut and dried, it is very presumptions of the Trade Bodies to think otherwise and once again, they do not speak for the vast majority of the trade."
Robert Feal-Martinez via email 08/06/2006"If pigs could fly the price of meat would go up. And I bet the great and good believe this. But let me put the record straight on this issue, as I am sure Iain knows, as he was there. This is not about pressure from those great and good, it's because Freedom to Choose's supporters in the Lords effectively told HMG that no regs, no Act. They have demanded that certain things appear on the face of the bill and that these are available by the report stage which is on the 19th of June. Obviously if these regs are made available there will be protracted debate in the Lords. Given that 2 weeks ago there wasn't a time scale, we can conclude they are being rushed out just like licensing and look what happened there. Their Lordships will not let that happen again."
