The CIEH has urged Andrew Lansley, the new health secretary, to retain momentum on reducing ill health caused by tobacco and to honour coalition parties’ pledges on reducing heath inequalities.
As part of the Smokefree Coalition, representing more than a hundred organisations, including the British Medical Association and the British Heart Foundation, the CIEH wrote to Mr Lansley stating: ‘The new government offers an exciting new era for public health, especially for tobacco control … smoking, as you are well aware, is responsible for more than 100,000 deaths in the UK and remains a key public health challenge.’
CIEH Principal Policy Officer, Ian Gray said:
“Great progress has been made recently, particularly through the smokefree regulations in the Health Act 2006 but we are concerned that, because of lobbying from tobacco companies, the Health Act Regulations may be changed to remove the requirement for removing point-of-sale displays in shops.
“We would urge Mr Lansley, whose party has a good record on backing tobacco control and reducing the illicit trade, and a commitment to reducing health inequality not to follow this course.”
The new public health minister was announced last week as Anne Milton, Conservative MP for Guildford. Ms Milton was previously a nurse and worked in the NHS for 25 years including giving medical advice to councils and housing associations. She was Vice Chair of the Conservative Medical Society and was previously shadow minister for tourism, gambling and licensing.
Mr Gray said that the contents of a Health Bill promised in the Queen’s speech last week, were not yet know, nor the details of promised ring-fenced funding for local authorities to reduce health inequalities, based on level of need.
He said:
“Mr Lansley’s personal commitment to an increased focus on ill-health prevention is very welcome. We hope that the new legislation and policy announcements from the coalition will reflect that.
“We will be seeking a meeting with Mr Lansley at the earliest date, to make sure that he knows of the valuable role that the CIEH and its members can continue to play in this important agenda.”