Policy responses and statements

Name of organisation:

Department of Health, Social Services and Pubic Safety (DHSSPS)

Name of policy document:

Consultation on draft tobacco control regulations removing displays of tobacco products at point of sale and banning sales of tobacco products from vending machines

Deadline for response:

24 December 2010

Background:

1. The purpose of this consultation was to seek the views of stakeholders and the general public on draft regulations covering tobacco displays, tobacco product price displays, advertising & display of tobacco products in specialist tobacconists, and prohibiting sales of tobacco products from vending machines. The powers to make these regulations are set out in the Westminster Health Bill 2009 which received Royal Assent on 12 November 2009.

2. The Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Michael McGimpsey MLA, sought the Assembly’s agreement to the extension of the tobacco provisions within the then Health Bill to Northern Ireland and this was granted. The Department’s main policy aim in bringing forward these additional tobacco control measures is to discourage children and young people from taking up smoking, and to create a supportive environment for people who want to quit smoking, while minimising bureaucracy for retailers.

3. Each set of draft regulations is attached separately and views were invited on each. A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on prohibiting the display of tobacco products at point of sale is attached at Annex 5 and a separate RIA dealing with tobacco vending machines is attached at Annex 6. Views were also invited on these aspects of the consultation package.

Download this consultation response as a .pdf

Copies of this response are available from:

Lesley Lockhart,
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh,
9 Queen Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 1JQ.

Tel: 0131 225 7324 ext 608
Fax: 0131 220 3939

[12 December 2010]