Meeting of the Parliament 17 December 2015
I thank all members for their constructive and almost entirely consensual speeches on what is a very important piece of legislation for the health of Scotland’s children. That is Parliament at its best.
I also take the opportunity again to thank Jim Hume and the non-Government bills unit for their work, the members of the Health and Sport Committee for their helpful consideration of the bill, and the committee clerks who assisted that work over the past year. I also thank my busy Scottish Government officials in the tobacco control team for all their work on the Smoking Prohibition (Children in Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Bill and on the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc and Care) (Scotland) Bill, which they are dealing with at the same time. I wish them a good festive season.
I thank those who gave their time to provide evidence to the Health and Sport Committee, almost all of whom advocated that the bill is both proportionate and necessary. There has been much consensus and it is great to hear such support for the bill.
As I highlighted in my opening speech, the Scottish Government has made our commitment to protect children from exposure to second-hand smoke clear for some time. I know that many others are committed to the same goal. During the passage of the bill, Cancer Research UK lent its support, saying:
“Making it illegal to smoke in cars with children will help protect them from the hundreds of lethal chemicals—around 70 of which cause cancer—found in cigarette smoke”.
The bill is an important milestone. It will play its part alongside the vast range of measures that will continue to be progressed by the Scottish Government to reduce tobacco-related harm.
It has been 10 years since the introduction of smoke-free legislation. That important step has seen attitudes shift significantly. The bill is another measure that will build on and continue to drive culture change.
James Cant, who was head of the British Lung Foundation when he gave evidence to the committee, said:
“I envisage that, in a couple of years’ time—or even sooner—people will look at the issue in the same way that we look at putting a child in their car seat. You have to put the seat belt on because that is what you do to keep the child or young person safe on that journey.”—[Official Report, Health and Sport Committee, 9 June 2015; c 44.]
That is exactly what I hope will be achieved.
Putting in place robust tobacco control measures is not about stigmatising those who wish to smoke. Ultimately, we would all agree that it is necessary that we do all that we can to encourage children and young people to choose not to smoke and protect them from the harm that is caused by second-hand smoke. The bill is another important step in creating a tobacco-free generation in Scotland by 2034. It continues to promote the shift in social attitudes so that choosing not to smoke becomes the norm.
I have had helpful dialogue with Jim Hume throughout the Parliament’s consideration of the bill and we have worked together to improve the bill’s provisions.
I have always made clear that the Scottish Government supports the underpinning principles. It is my belief that the bill’s provisions are strong and the approach taken to implementing the offence is the right one. We will be happy to support the bill at decision time.
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