Tag: Downing Street

The government is set to introduce a historic new law to stop children who turn 14 this year or younger from ever legally being sold cigarettes in England, in a bid to create the first ‘smokefree generation’.

Proposed new legislation will make it an offence for anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 to be sold tobacco products – effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population. This has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040.

Smoking is highly addictive, with 4 in 5 smokers starting before the age of 20 and remaining addicted for the rest of their lives. By stopping young people from ever starting to smoke, the government will protect an entire generation of young people from the harms of smoking as they grow older.

Smoking is the UK’s biggest preventable killer – causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and leading to 64,000 deaths per year in England. It puts huge pressure on the NHS, with almost one hospital admission every minute attributable to smoking and up to 75,000 GP appointments each month taken up by smoking-related illness.

It is also one of the biggest drivers of health inequalities across the country – deaths from smoking are more than two times higher in the most deprived local authorities, where more people smoke, compared to the most affluent. Smoking rates in pregnancy also vary hugely, with as many as 20% of pregnant women smoking in some parts of the country – increasing the chance of stillbirth by almost 50%.

Smoking also costs the economy £17 billion a year, through smoking related lost earnings, unemployment, early deaths and costs to the NHS.

These changes amount to one of the most significant public health interventions by the government in a generation. If the government does not act, the independent review published in 2022 estimated that nearly half a million people will die from smoking by 2030.

More broadly it is expected to mean up to 1.7 million fewer people smoke by 2075 – saving tens of thousands of lives, saving the health and care system billions of pounds and boosting the economy by up to £85 billion by 2075. It would also avoid up to 115,000 cases of strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases.

Smoking will not be criminalised, and our phased approach means anyone who can legally buy cigarettes now will not be prevented from doing so in future.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

No parent ever wants their child to start smoking. It is a deadly habit – killing tens of thousands of people and costing our NHS billions each year, while also being hugely detrimental to our productivity as a country.

I want to build a better and brighter future for our children, so that’s why I want to stamp out smoking for good. These changes will mean our kids will never be able to buy a cigarette, preventing them getting hooked and protecting their health both now and in the future.

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, said:

Smoking damages many lives. It causes stillbirths, asthma in children, heart disease, stroke and dementia in addition to causing most lung cancer and increasing risk of many other cancers.

Becoming addicted to cigarettes in early life is one of the worst things that can happen for future health. Preventing people becoming addicted to smoking, and helping those who smoke to quit are two of the most important measures we can take to improve health.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

Smoking kills, places a huge burden on the NHS and costs the economy billions every year.

Through this landmark step we will protect our children, grandchildren and the health service from the dangers of smoking long into the future.

And while vaping is an effective tool for adults quitting smoking, we are determined to tackle the concerning surge in children vaping, driven by marketing and flavouring which appears to specifically target young people.

The government has also today announced a further major crackdown on youth vaping, by announcing an intention to consult on plans to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children.

Vaping is rightly used by adults as a tool to quit smoking, but the health advice is clear – if you don’t smoke, don’t vape and children should never vape. It is already illegal for children to vape but in a worrying trend, youth vaping has tripled in the last three years, and more children now vape than smoke.

To ensure we get the balance right between protecting our children and supporting adult smokers to quit the government will bring forward a consultation.

The consultation will look at:

• Restricting the flavours and descriptions of vapes so that vape flavours are no longer targeted at children – we want to ensure this is done in a way that continues to support adult smokers to switch.
• Regulating point of sale displays in retail outlets so that vapes are kept out of sight from children and away from products that appeal to them, such as sweets.
• Regulating vape packaging and product presentation, ensuring that neither the device nor its packaging is targeted to children.
• Restricting the sale of disposable vapes, which are clearly linked to the rise in vaping in children. These products are not only attractive to children but also incredibly harmful to the environment.

We will also close loopholes in the law which allow children to get free samples and buy non-nicotine vapes.

Enforcement activity will also be strengthened, with an investment of £30 million to support agencies such as local trading standards, HMRC and Border Force to take action to stop underage sales and tackle the import of illicit tobacco and vaping products at the border.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said:

Smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable death and costs the NHS billions of pounds each year. Almost every minute of every day someone is admitted to hospital because of smoking.

This is a momentous public health intervention and we welcome the government’s bold and ambitious action which will lead to longer and healthier lives. A smokefree generation will relieve an enormous burden on our NHS.

Stop smoking services help hundreds of thousands of people every year quit for good. With double the funding – now £140 million – even more people will be able to access this free service to kick the habit once and for all.

Cancer Research UK’s Chief Executive, Michelle Mitchell OBE, said:

Raising the age of sale on tobacco products is a critical step on the road to creating the first ever smokefree generation. The Prime Minister deserves great credit for putting the health of its citizens ahead of the interests of the tobacco lobby. Investing more in stop smoking services is essential for the nation.

Smoking places huge pressure on the NHS and the economy – with over 500,000 hospital admissions every year in England attributable to smoking.

We will support the UK Government to quickly implement legislation to raise the age of sale, alongside their investment of more money in stop smoking services.

Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, said:

Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, needlessly taking many lives prematurely.

We welcome this important initiative from the Prime Minister to limit its damage to the health and well-being of our nation.

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said:

The Prime Minister has today announced an unprecedented set of measures to protect the next generation and hasten the day when smoking is obsolete.

Children are four times as likely to start smoking if they grow up with smokers, and once they do it’s highly addictive and difficult to quit.

The twin track approach of raising the age of sale and tougher enforcement to stop young people starting, matched by substantial additional funding to motivate addicted smokers to quit and providethem with the support they need to succeed, will help get us on track to a smokefree future.

We look forward to the day when smoking is no longer responsible for avoidable ill health and perinatal mortality in babies and young children, nor the leading cause of premature death in adults.

The government will also continue to drive forward its agenda to support current smokers to quit for good, by:

• More than doubling the current funding for stop smoking services, investing an additional £70 million a year to expand locally delivered and cost-effective services. This will support around 360,000 people to quit smoking;
• Providing an additional £5 million this year and then £15 million a year thereafter to fund national tobacco marketing campaigns to explain the changes, the benefits of quitting and support available;
• Rolling out a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme – supporting 1 million smokers to swap cigarettes for vapes – the first national scheme of its kind in the world.

It comes on top of previous interventions such as the introduction of plain packaging on tobacco products, raising the age of sale from 16 to 18 and banning smoking in public places – all of which have had a significant impact on smoking rates. In particular, raising the age of sale reduced the prevalence of smoking among 16/17-year-olds by 30%.

Overall, the number of people who smoke has reduced by two thirds since 1974, when smoking was at its peak.

Dr Camilla Kingdon, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said:

As a children’s doctor, I am in no doubt that both smoking and vaping are terrible for the health of babies, children and young people.  The prime minister’s announcement is hugely welcome.

Dr Jeanette Dickson, Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, said:

The Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges welcomes the Prime Minister’s bold announcement to effectively end smoking in the UK.

The damage done by smoking affects everyone, from unborn babies through to our oldest family members.  The best way to prevent these harms is to reduce and ultimately bring an end to smoking in the UK.”

Professor Kamila Hawthorne MBE, GP, said:

As a GP of 35 years’ standing, I have seen the terrible irreversible damage that smoking does to health. It is much easier to never have started smoking, than trying to stop once a habit has formed. Opportunities to smoke must not be available to children, and anything that prevents a smoking habit is worth supporting.

Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said:

“Smoking is a major cause of cancer and many other conditions that require surgery, as well as affecting recovery after an operation. By reducing the number of people who smoke, these measures will save lives and reduce the need for surgery.”

Dr Sarah Clarke, President of the Royal College of Physicians and Consultant Cardiologist at Royal Papworth Hospital Cambridge, said:

I welcome all measures to reduce uptake of smoking and make it obsolete once and for all. Investment in Public Health messaging and cessation services will all contribute to this. I see too many lives ruined by smoking.

Seven Scottish towns have been named by the Prime Minister as part of £1.1 billion levelling up investment being provided to 55 towns across the UK.

Clydebank, Coatbridge, Dumfries, Elgin, Irvine, Greenock and Kilmarnock will each receive £20 million from the UK Government as part of a long-term investment plan for towns that have been overlooked and taken for granted.

The money will be provided directly by the UK Government to the relevant local authority and we will work with them and the Scottish Government to take a place-centred approach which maximises investment and opportunity.

Under the new approach, local people will be put in charge, and given the tools to change their town’s long-term future. They will:

• Receive a ten-year endowment-style fund to be spent on local people’s priorities, like regenerating local high streets and town centres or securing public safety.
• Set up a Town Board to bring together community leaders, employers and local authorities to deliver the Long-Term Plan for their town and put it to local people for consultation.

More than half the UK population live in towns, but half-empty high streets, run-down town centres and anti-social behaviour undermine towns in every part of the UK. Today’s announcement marks a change in approach that will put an end to people feeling like their town is ignored and empower communities to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.

This plan builds on the UK Government’s central mission to level up the UK by putting more power and money in the hands of people who know their areas best to build a brighter future for their community, creating bespoke initiatives that will spark the regeneration needed.

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work. But politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on cities.

The result is the half-empty high streets, run-down shopping centres and anti-social behaviour that undermine many towns’ prosperity and hold back people’s opportunity – and without a new approach, these problems will only get worse.

That changes today. Our Long-Term Plan for Towns puts funding in the hands of local people themselves to invest in line with their priorities, over the long-term. That is how we level up.

Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove said:

We know that in our towns the values of hard work and solidarity, common sense and common purpose, endeavour and quiet patriotism have endured across generations. But for too long, too many of our great British towns have been overlooked and undervalued.

We are putting this right through our Long-Term Plan for Towns backed by over £1bn of levelling up funding. This will empower communities in every part of the UK to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people. It will mean more jobs, more opportunities and a brighter future for our towns and the people who live and work in them.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

I wholeheartedly welcome the launch of the UK Government’s Long Term Plan for Towns. It’s great to see that seven Scottish towns will benefit from £20 million each from the latest round of levelling up funding which so far has seen us invest more than £2.4 billion right across Scotland to help grow our economy and level up the country.

I look forward to seeing these towns – and the communities within them – use this investment to breathe new life into the places where they live, work and play.

‘Our Long-Term Plan for Towns’, published today, is carefully designed to complement the wider levelling up programme, working alongside funding for specific projects across the UK, our targeted support to the places most in need through Levelling Up Partnerships, and initiatives supporting economic growth in wider city regions like investment zones.

The Long-Term Plan for Towns will require town boards to develop their own long-term plan for their town, with funding over 10 years and aligned to the issues that research shows people want the most, such as:

• Improving transport and connections to make travel easier for residents and increase visitor numbers in centres to boost opportunities for small businesses and create jobs.
• Tackling crime and anti social behaviour to keep residents safe and encourage visitors through better security measures and hotspot policing
• Enhancing town centres to make high streets more attractive and accessible, including repurposing empty shops for new housing, creating more green spaces, cleaning up streets or running market days

Local people will be at the heart of decisions, through direct membership of a new Towns Board, which will include community groups, MPs, businesses, cultural and sports organisations, public sector agencies and local authorities for each town and through a requirement to engage local people on the long-term plan for each town.

The Government has also announced a new ‘Towns Taskforce, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary. This will help town boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities.

A new ‘High Streets and Towns Task Force’ will also be established, building on the success of the existing version, providing each selected town with bespoke, hands-on support.

Further information

Towns have been allocated funding according to the Levelling Up Needs Index which takes into account metrics covering skills, pay, productivity and health, as well as the Index of Multiple Deprivation to ensure funding goes directly to the towns which will benefit most, without new competitions or unnecessary hurdles. A full methodology note will be published.

Background

Deborah was educated at St Andrew’s University and trained for ministry on the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme. She served her title at St Saviour’s, Guildford, and was ordained Priest in 2008.

Deborah was appointed Vicar of St John the Baptist Wonersh with Blackheath in the Diocese of Guildford in 2010 and was additionally appointed Area Dean for the Deanery of Cranleigh in 2015. She became an honorary Canon of Guildford Cathedral in 2018.

In 2019 Deborah took up her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Southampton, in the Diocese of Winchester and, since 2021, has additionally served as the Acting Diocesan Bishop of Winchester.

The government has appointed Doctor Dave Smith as its National Technology Adviser, following the departure of Sir Patrick Vallance from the role.

Appointed by the Prime Minister after a rigorous process, Smith’s extensive expertise and leadership in the tech sector ideally places him to guide the nation’s tech aspirations.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

Innovation in technology is one of the most important ways we can transform people’s lives, which is why I am delighted to appoint Dave Smith as the UK’s National Technology Adviser – who brings expertise and vision to this vital role.

We share the ambition of forging a better Britain and growing the economy through technology – and with Dave at the helm, we will champion the dynamism of the tech sector so that it can continue to thrive, attracting top talent, boosting innovation and cementing our place as a global science and technology superpower by 2030.

National Technology Adviser Dave Smith said:

I am deeply honoured to serve as the UK’s National Technology Adviser. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently advocated for the transformative power of technology and innovation to redefine societies.

I’m delighted to have the opportunity to harness the growing potential of the British tech sector to drive growth and tackle society’s biggest challenges. Building upon the significant foundations laid by Sir Patrick Vallance, I’m eager to ensure the UK’s continued leadership and position as a global tech superpower.

As National Tech Adviser, Dave Smith will advise the Technology Secretary on the best approach to building and enhancing the UK’s technology strengths, working across government to champion the science and tech industries, and build networks across industry and academia to draw the best minds into policymaking.

This will see Smith use his decades of experience working across the technology industry, which has most recently seen him lead Rolls-Royce’s approach to innovation as Technology Director. His career has otherwise seen him sit as the Managing Director of a British tech firm working across cyber-security, networking and more, before taking up key leadership roles in renowned public sector and technology consultancies.

At a reception with senior tech executives from leading British businesses this evening, Secretary of State Michelle Donelan will highlight Smith’s appointment, emphasising his extensive experience and expressing her optimism about the direction of the UK’s tech landscape under his guidance.

Secretary of State for Science Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelan said:

The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology has a clear mission: to ignite innovation that enriches our economy, elevates our public services, and strengthens our national security. Dave Smith’s appointment sends a firm message: we are committed to bringing the brightest tech minds to government, and working hand-in-glove with industry to make the most of what tech has to offer.

The UK is pro-tech and open for business, I look forward to championing and delivering for the sector alongside Dave.

Dave’s work and visionary leadership will no doubt propel us towards our goal of becoming a global tech superpower by 2030.

Smith will report directly to the Department for Science Innovation and Technology’s Permanent Secretary to drive forward the work of the newest government department to drive innovation, create better paid jobs and grow the economy.

Some of the nation’s best-known personalities from reality TV to sports, journalism and music will today (Tuesday 12 September) meet the Technology Secretary to discuss new laws which would make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.

Coming together at Downing Street later today, they’ll shine a light not only on the impact cowardly online abuse has had on them in the past, but the need to pass powerful new laws to tackle it permanently for future generations, protecting our kids and our mental health.

Stars in attendance to discuss the UK Government’s Online Safety Bill include Georgia Kousoulou, Emily Clarkson, Georgia Harrison and Fara Williams who have been some of the most passionate and dedicated advocates in the UK for a safer internet over the past few years.

The online world plays a huge role in our personal and professional lives, and those in attendance have all have experienced trolling and other forms of abuse online, with new parents including Emily Clarkson, Georgia Kousoulou and others previously raising concerns about their children’s safety growing up online.

Those joining the roundtable have previously echoed their support for the landmark piece of legislation, praising how the new rules will protect their kids from harmful and illegal content, such as bullying, pornography, the promotion of self-harm and eating disorders and online sexual exploitation and abuse.

Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

The message from government and these brave campaigners is clear. Enough is enough – it’s time to pass our online safety law and crack down on the sick and cowardly trolls who prowl out of sight online. We stand shoulder to shoulder in our determination to protect our children and other vulnerable groups from a host of vile content that is currently all too easy for them to access.

Former The Only Way is Essex star Georgia Kousoulou said:

Like any mum, I want my son to grow up feeling safe. These new internet safety laws are so important and will make sure our kids are protected from cyberbullying and illegal content they shouldn’t be seeing.

The Online Safety Bill is the UK Government’s flagship piece of legislation that will make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. It will do this by:

• Tackling criminal activity online – if it’s illegal offline, it’s illegal online. Platforms will be forced to quickly remove terrorist material or child sexual abuse and exploitation once they are alerted to its presence and will not be allowed to promote it in their algorithms.
• Protecting children from harmful or inappropriate content such as, bullying, pornography and the promotion of self-harm and eating disorders.
• Increasing the transparency and accountability of online platforms and ensuring they keep their promises to their users.

In just a matter of weeks, we expect the Bill to become law, with it currently completing its final stages in Parliament, following boosted protections to make sure it is as strong as possible and truly future-proofed.

NSPCC Chief Executive, Sir Peter Wanless, said:

The Online Safety Bill is a landmark piece of legislation and will become a central pillar of the child protection framework in the UK. The Government and politicians of all sides have worked tirelessly with survivors of abuse, bereaved families and civil society to ensure the legislation results in a much safer online world for children.

We are tantalisingly close to passing the Bill, so its real-world impact can begin. Once MPs and parliamentarians have finished their work, it is over to tech companies to work with the regulator Ofcom and child protection experts to make sure their products and services do not put children at risk any longer.

Former Love Island star Georgia Harrison said:

Violence against women and girls is so common, with one in three women in the UK having experienced online abuse or harassment.

The Online Safety Bill is going to help bring this to an end, by holding social media companies accountable to protect women and girls from online abuse.

Fara Williams, EE Hope United squad member and former England international, said:

I’m pleased to show my support of the amendments to the Online Safety Bill that will hopefully see more protection for women and girls online. It is clear that the online abuse that happens across social media platforms is something that needs to change and so this a very positive step towards creating a safer and more inclusive online environment for everyone.

Under the new laws, all social media firms will be forced to proactively tackle priority illegal content, and ensure they have systems and processes in place that will quickly take down other criminal content once they become aware of its presence.

The largest platforms with certain functionalities will also be legally forced to take down any material that breaches their own terms of service and provide adults with greater controls over posts containing legal material they may not wish to see.

The Bill will ensure that all users will have the ability to filter out any users that are unverified on websites and can prevent them from interacting with any content which they upload, generate or share, if they so wish.

Platforms will legally have to ensure they have effective reporting and redress mechanisms in place that enables any user to raise concerns about illegal content and companies’ enforcement of their terms of service.

The Bill will also ensure tech companies proactively tackle the use of their platforms to commit fraud. All companies in scope of the Bill will need to tackle fraud offences, this includes, user generated content or content accessed via search results.

Furthermore, the largest and most high-risk services will have additional duties in relation to fraud facilitated through paid for adverts. They will face hefty fines if they do not.

In addition, the regulator, Ofcom, will have a broad power to require information from companies to assess compliance with providers’ duties to tackle illegal content and content that is harmful to children.