Member

This fact would have become evident, had there been a more comprehensive and focused impact assessment. The impact assessment produced by the department, which runs to 294 pages, makes just three mentions of cigars, three of pipe tobacco and two of snuff. It makes no mention whatever of handmade cigars, which is a distinct category in itself. None of these products was subject to detailed analysis. There was no quantification on the likely economic impact to businesses trading in these products, no small and micro-business assessment and no discussion of alternatives. Yet all these considerations are requirements under the Government’s Better Regulation Framework. This omission is regrettable, if policy is to be underpinned by evidence and sound analysis. It does not comply with the Government’s better regulation commitment to legislation and regulations needing to be proportionate and evidence based.