Ian Paisley – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Paisley on 2014-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products on the work of Trading Standards’ officers in combating the trade in illicit tobacco.

Jane Ellison

In the Department’s 2012 Consultation on standardised packaging of tobacco products, consultation questions were asked about illicit tobacco. A consultation-stage impact assessment was also published with the consultation.

Sir Cyril Chantler included a chapter on illicit tobacco in his report on standardised packaging of tobacco and concluded that, ‘I am not convinced by the tobacco industry’s argument that standardised packaging would increase the illicit market, especially in counterfeit cigarettes.’

The Government will be holding a final, short consultation in which Ministers will ask, in particular, for views on anything new since the last full public consultation that is relevant to the development of this policy, including in relation to illicit tobacco. A further consultation stage impact assessment will be published alongside this.