westminster - Neighbourhood Retailer

DUP MPs vote against Tobacco & Vapes Bill

Caroline Rainey — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:33:12 +0000

DUP MPs have voted against the generational smoking ban, the proposed legislation to make it illegal for those born after 2009 to be sold cigarettes.

Westminster MPs had their first debate on the Tobacco & Vapes Bill on Tuesday 16^th April, with it passing by 383 votes to 67 in the Commons.

Several conservative MPs voted against Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Bill, however it is still expected to become law.

Alliance MP Stephen Farry was the only Northern Ireland MP to vote in favour of the ban.

The controversial bill also aims to restrict vape flavours, packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops.

Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann has previously confirmed that NI will be included in the Bill, subject to approval by the Assembly. He said he fully supported the UK Government’s plans to create a smokefree generation and to tackle youth vaping.

Speaking in the Chamber, DUP MP Sammy Wilson voiced his concerns about how the law would be implemented and concerns about retailers.

The debate came as a Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) survey has revealed that 80% of those surveyed had bought illegal tobacco in the previous year.

The survey, carried out between October and December 2023, questioned 12,000 smokers on their attitudes, awareness and understanding of illegal tobacco. The results also showed that nearly three quarters of respondents have seen an illegal 20-pack of cigarettes priced between £3 and £6 (compared to the mean average RRP of £15.26 for a legal packet).

Despite government attempts to curb the problem, the illegal tobacco market is growing. While the number of adult smokers in the UK has decreased by 30% (to 12% of the UK population) since the TMA commissioned its first ‘Anti-Illicit Trade Survey’ in 2014, the number of respondents who claim to purchase non-UK duty paid tobacco has reached a new high point of 80%, with one in five smokers only buying ‘branded’ tobacco, even though all legal tobacco has been sold in plain packaging in the UK since 2016 – eight years ago.

Almost two thirds of survey respondents claimed repeated hikes in tobacco taxes couple with the cost-of-living pressures meant they have changed their tobacco spending habits, up from 39% in 2022.

Retailers have raised concerns about the Bill, citing the increase in sales of illicit tobacco and vapes.

Rupert Lewis, Director of the TMA said that the illegal tobacco market in the UK has now reached an inflection point.

“In previous years, the TMA Anti-Illicit Trade Survey has painted a picture of a stubbornly resilient illegal tobacco trade, which in spite of overall smoking rates downtrending year-on-year, has remained resistant to decline,” said Mr Lewis.

“I believe that there will be profound and far-reaching repercussions for consumers, retailers, law enforcement agencies and communities across the UK if a phased generational ban becomes law. In time, it will push the entire UK tobacco market underground, and I urge the government to reflect hard on the consequences of this policy decision and the lasting impact that it will have on the UK.”

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Owen Paterson quits as MP over lobbying row

Linda Stewart — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 17:18:20 +0000

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson has resigned as an MP after a row over his conduct led to a government U-turn.

The Conservative MP was found to have broken lobbying rules and was facing suspension, until fellow Conservative MPs blocked the process by calling for an overhaul of the MPs’ standards watchdog instead.

While initially supporting the move, Downing Street made a U-turn following a backlash.

Mr Paterson said he now wants a life “outside the cruel world of politics”. The 65-year-old, who has represented North Shropshire since 1997, said the past two years had been “an indescribable nightmare for my family and me”.

He said his integrity had been “repeatedly and publicly questioned”, and claimed he was “totally innocent” of breaking lobbying rules.

The Commons Standards Committee concluded last week that Mr Paterson had misused his position as an MP to benefit two Northern Ireland firms he worked for – clinical diagnostics company Randox and meat distributor Lynn’s Country Foods – after a damning report on his behaviour by standards commissioner Kathryn Stone.

The Committee had recommended he be suspended from the Commons for 30 sitting days – a sanction that could also lead to a recall petition in his constituency, and the possibility of him facing a by-election.

Mr Paterson has been a paid consultant for clinical diagnostics company Randox since 2015 and to meat distributor Lynn’s Country Foods since 2016, earning a total of £100,000 a year on top of his MP’s salary.

While MPs are allowed to have these jobs, they are not allowed to be paid advocates using their influence in Whitehall for the company’s gain.

The Committee concluded that Mr Paterson had breached this rule on paid advocacy by making three approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Randox and the testing of antibiotics in milk; making seven approaches to the Food Standards Agency relating to Lynn’s Country Foods; and making four approaches to Ministers at the Department for International Development relating to Randox and blood testing technology.

Mr Paterson was also found to have broken conduct rules by failing to declare his interest as a paid consultant to Lynn’s Country Foods in four emails to officials at the Food Standards Agency; using his parliamentary office on 16 occasions for business meetings with his clients; and in sending two letters relating to his business interests, on House of Commons headed notepaper.

Mr Paterson said it was a painful decision to resign but “the right one”.

He said the past few days had been intolerable, claiming he had seen people – including MPs – “publicly mock and deride” the death of his wife Rose, who took her own life last year.

In a statement he said: “My children have therefore asked me to leave politics altogether, for my sake as well as theirs.

“I agree with them. I do not want my wife’s memory and reputation to become a political football.

“Above all, I always put my family first.”

His resignation means there will soon be a by-election for his seat.

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