09/06/2009 - Tobacco display debate continues
New Health Secretary Andy Burnham has insisted that controversial measures outlawing tobacco displays in shops can be implemented without harming small businesses.
He told the Commons he was "duty bound" to consider any measures that helped prevent young people taking up smoking.
Mr Burnham, promoted in Gordon Brown's reshuffle last week, was cheered by a small number of Labour backbenchers as he opened second reading debate on the Health Bill.
This aims to ban displays of tobacco products in shops and supermarkets. It proposes age-restriction mechanisms to prevent under-18s buying cigarettes from them, but stops short of an outright ban on vending machines.
Mr Burnham told MPs he wanted to find a "balance" between reducing smoking by youngsters while at the same acknowledging concerns about the effect on small shops.
Conservatives Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) and Labour's David Clelland (Tyne Bridge) said there was a danger of local shops closing if a display ban came into force.
But Mr Burnham said he did not want to make it harder for small shops to survive but action had to be taken to cut down on smoking among the young.
In May, the Lords agreed to a ban on the display of tobacco products in shops by 2013 but voted down an amendment to outlaw vending machines immediately.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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