Question reference: S1W-02746
- Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow Pollok, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 23 November 1999
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Current status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 24 November 1999
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S1W-346 by Susan Deacon on 12 July 1999, what are its current plans for the introduction of a ban on tobacco advertising.
Answer
The legal action in England by the tobacco industry has delayed meantime the introduction of a ban on tobacco advertising. It is clear that there are no substantive points of difference with the position in the rest of the United Kingdom. Given the cross-border flow of newspapers and other publications, it would be impracticable to introduce a ban in Scotland in isolation from the rest of the United Kingdom. Any such move inevitably would result in litigation in Scotland dealing with the same legal points raised in the current proceedings in England. Scottish Ministers are determined to implement our Programme for Government commitment to ban tobacco advertising. Our intention is to introduce the comprehensive measures outlined in the Directive at the earliest possible opportunity when the European Court of Justice has ruled on the validity of the Council Directive banning advertising and sponsorship or the appeal processes in England have been completed.