Clause 15 - Penalties
Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill
11:00 am
Mrs Caroline Spelman (Meriden, Conservative)
Labour Members are trying to jump the gun by voting through the clause before we have had a chance to debate it, but they will not get away with it. Unfortunately for them, it is my job to ensure that that does not happen without some discussion.
The clause relates to the level of penalties that can be imposed for the offences. I am not entirely satisfied that the defences in clause 14 are as safe and sound as we would like. The provisions in clause 13 are not a mirror image of the Food Standards Act 1999, despite the fact that the explanatory notes say that there are similar provisions in the Consumer Protection Act 1987, and the Food Standards Act—they are similar, but with important differences. The fact that there are these lacunae cause the Opposition the anxiety. We are giving strong powers of entry here—[Interruption.]