4. Will the First Minister make a statement on access to tobacco products in Wales? OAQ(5)0695(FM)

Young people’s access to tobacco products has been successfully reduced as a result of legislation. The Public Health (Wales) Act 2017, the seal of which I applied yesterday, provides further safeguards with the introduction of a retail register and an offence of handing over tobacco products to those under 18.

Thank you for that. Well, the 2016 Tobacco Manufacturers’ Association’s anti-illicit trade survey found that 62 per cent of Welsh smokers purchased non-duty-paid tobacco products. The financial rewards of this illicit trade are high; the penalties are low. This is threatening one in eight corner shops in Wales and across the UK, and most worryingly, people don’t understand the added health risks of this type of tobacco. What consideration has your Government given alone or perhaps working with the Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to tackle this?

It is a matter ultimately for the HMRC to enforce any breaches of excise law. That is not a reason to lower taxes, obviously, on tobacco—the Member’s not suggesting that, in fairness to him. But it is hugely important that people are able to provide intelligence to the enforcement agencies and, of course, I know that checks are carried out at the airports, particularly from areas that are seen as areas of risk when it comes to importing tobacco and cigarettes, particularly from jurisdictions where the prices are very, very low. But, obviously, we seek to work with HMRC in order to reduce and eliminate smuggling.

First Minister, in 2015 small shops and retailers fell into line with large businesses with it being illegal for them to display cigarettes and tobacco in public. At the time the Minister for Health and Social Services, Mark Drakeford, stated smoking still causes around 5,450 deaths in Wales each year. Around half of all regular smokers will die prematurely from smoking-related illnesses, and that’s why we will continue to work tirelessly to reduce smoking levels to 16 per cent by 2020. First Minister, what progress is being made to hit that 2020 target, what challenges do we face to meet it, and what further action can the Welsh Government take to fulfil our aim?

Well, the tobacco control delivery plan will be published later this year. That’ll ensure that action remains targeted to achieve our goal of reducing adult smoking prevalence to 16 per cent by 2020, and it will outline a number of measures to reduce smoking further, to prevent young people from taking it up in the first place, to improve cessation support, as well, and, of course, to further denormalise tobacco use.