Britain confirms plan for major smoking ban

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The British government plans to impose a sweeping public smoking ban across England and Wales and will consider curbs on television advertising of “junk food” aimed at children.

Food retailers and manufacturers will be expected to come up with a clear labeling system for healthy and unhealthy foods.

“All government departments will be smoke-free,” Health Secretary John Reid told parliament on Tuesday. “All enclosed public places and workplaces ... will be smoke free. All restaurants will be smoke free. All pubs and bars preparing and serving food will be smoke free.”

The government’s policy paper on public health said other pubs and bars will be free to choose whether to allow smoking, as will private clubs.

Shares in pub groups and tobacco firms tumbled even before the official announcement.

Britain’s biggest pubs operator Enterprise Inns was hardest hit. Its shares lost 3.8 percent on fears the proposals will cost the company trade.

Shares in tobacco firms Gallaher and Imperial Tobacco fell 2 percent, while pubs operators Mitchells & Butler, Punch Taverns and Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries slid over 3 percent.

There is no set time for a ban. A White Paper denotes firm plans to legislate but with an election expected next year, turning them into law could last well into 2006 and beyond.

Last week, the Scottish parliament decided to ban smoking in public buildings from 2006.

The wide-ranging White Paper targeted rising obesity in Britain, sexually transmitted infections and unhealthy workplaces as well as tobacco.

Reid said the government would ask media regulator Ofcom to consult on advertising to children on television, adding: “We will work with the industry to limit other forms of advertising to children.”

Further restrictions on tobacco advertising will be introduced along with graphic picture warnings on cigarette packets.

“We will support Ofcom to strengthen the rules of broadcast advertising of alcohol, particularly to protect the under-18s,” Reid added.

To tackle Britain’s rising obesity problem, the government will work with food manufacturers and supermarkets to introduce by early 2006, a clear coding system for foods so people can understand at a glance what is healthy and what should be eaten only in moderation.

“We will develop a simple code for processed food to indicate fat, sugar and salt content for shoppers,” Reid said.

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