Member

Let me start on Amendment 192 by underlining our common objective, which is to reduce smoking prevalence, to discourage uptake and to support cessation and public health services. That, I hope, is a given: I have no brief whatever for tobacco companies. However, one of the problems I have with this amendment—as I do with other parts of the Bill, incidentally—is the underlying assumption that all producers and importers of tobacco are vast and highly profitable multinationals. There are certainly some of those, but that is not the full picture. There are also some small and specialist businesses operating lawfully in these markets, many with a long heritage, modest margins and deep roots in their communities. We must beware of policies that are aimed at global giants unintentionally undermining small businesses.