Sandra
Gidley: I am slightly confused by the amendment. I believe
that a lot of nicotine replacement therapy is already available. There
are a number smoking cessation schemes around the country that were
introduced by the
Government.
Mike
Penning: Yes, there are a number but they are
scattered—a scattergun approach is probably the best way to
describe it. Certain parts of the country get a lot of help and others
get very little. There needs to be national strategy. There also needs
to be a self-help element. I was dismayed recently when I spoke to one
of the large retailers. It wanted to put nicotine replacement items up
next to cigarettes in case people went in to buy cigarettes
but—on impulse—thought, “I should really give
up.” The retailer was precluded from doing that, and the
Minister should address such matters.
Nicotine
replacement is an expensive—but a key—part of smoking
cessation. We should encourage as many people as possible to give up
smoking. I want the Minister to bring together the key stakeholders
before 21 July 2009, as the new clause states. If that date is not
suitable, will she give me an idea of when that might
happen?
Gillian
Merron: It has been a pleasure to serve under your
chairmanship, Mr. Key. I appreciate that the hon. Member for
Hemel Hempstead has made it clear that this is a probing new clause. I
can confirm that the Government already have a code of practice in
place for consultation. They already provide guidance on how to conduct
consultations on policies, so I am glad the hon. Gentleman has
indicated that the amendment is not
needed. It
is true that much progress has been made, but many respondents to our
consultation indicated that they want to see nicotine replacement
therapy made more easily and cheaply available. I can confirm,
therefore, that we are considering our future approach to the matter
and how we can support people to quit smoking, more broadly, as part of
our tobacco control strategy. We are consulting with experts on smoking
cessation about the range of policies needed, and that will include
nicotine replacement therapy. I hope, with that reassurance, the hon.
Gentleman will confirm that he will not press new clause
12.
Mike
Penning: I beg to ask leave to withdraw the
clause. Clause,
by leave,
withdrawn. Ordered, That
certain written evidence already reported to the House be appended to
the proceedings of the Committee.—(Mr.
Mike
O’Brien) Question
proposed, That the Chairman do report the Bill, as amended,
to the
House.
Mr.
Mike O'Brien: I thank you, Mr. Key, and
Mr. O’Hara, for your expert chairmanship of the
Committee. I also thank our phantom Chair, Mr. Bercow, who
disappeared off to higher and greater things. It has been a good
humoured and constructive Committee and I thank the hon. Members for
Eddisbury, for Hemel Hempstead, and for Romsey. May I also particularly
thank my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln who has so ably taken
through a number of clauses—especially on tobacco? I also thank
my Parliamentary Private Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for
Coventry, South and the officials. On a number of occasions, as we
began to speed through the proceedings, I was getting to areas that I
had not fully read before, shall we say, and I was able quickly to
grasp the essential arguments and deal with them, I hope competently,
due to the extremely competent and good briefing that I got. It was
clear and concise, and I thank the officials
concerned. I
thank the Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Stanton, and our Whip,
who has kept everyone, at least on the Government Benches, in order,
and also attempted to encourage Opposition Members to stay in order on
occasion. I am sure that the Conservative Whip deserves congratulation
on the speed of delivery too, on occasion.
I also thank Hansard Reporters and the Attendants. We have a Bill
in good state, and I am grateful to members of the Committee for
delivering
it. Mr.
Stephen O'Brien: I will be brief in reinforcing the thanks
that the Minister has given. I also thank him, because he had to pick
up the Bill and master it at great speed. He sought to answer our
questions with courtesy and clarity, and I think we have had a
constructive
discussion. I
thank all the outside bodies that have helped to inform our
deliberations, and in particular I pay tribute to their energy and
attempts. I wish to place on the record the tremendous support and work
that I have had from my researchers, Mr. Sam Barker and Ms
Jo Rossiter. I know that my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead
has had tremendous support from his researcher Mr. Paul
Harrison. I
think all the members of the Committee need to be thanked for their
dedication to the Bill, not least my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel
Hempstead, who assisted me in leading on the Bill for the official
Opposition, our Whip, my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Reading, East,
my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington for his experience and my hon.
Friend the Member for Isle of Wight for his insights.
We thank the
Clerk, Mr. Stanton, as well as the Official Reporter, who I
know has had the most monumental struggle sorting out the
O’Briens. I hope that she might be able to take the message back
that while the House style means that once the Christian name and the
surname have been put together, it should just be plain
“Mr. O’Brien”, it might be helpful in
future that reference is to either “Michael” or
“Stephen”, depending on who is
speaking. I
thank the Doorkeepers and the Badge Messengers and above all, I thank
you, Mr. Key, and your predecessor last week, Mr.
O’Hara. We realise now that we have had the benefit of you, that
it was perhaps not unhelpful that there was a Speaker’s election
during the course of our
Committee.
Sandra
Gidley: Very briefly, I would like to repeat all those
thanks. Without going through them all again, may I just say
“ditto”? Question
put and agreed to.
Bill, as
amended, accordingly to be
reported. 4.7
pm Committee
rose.
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