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** 18 June 2021
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** UK
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** Dido Harding applies to be NHS England chief (#1)
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** North West: Warrington to learn from areas with outdoor hospitality smoking bans (#2)
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** MPs’ involvement in levelling up “really unhelpful” (#3)
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** International
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** US: State legislators seek to curb vaping, youth tobacco use in Alaska (#4)
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** Parliamentary Activity
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** Backbench Business Debate: Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (#5)
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** Link of the Week
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** ASH Webinar: APPG report and recommendations for the Tobacco Control Plan 2021 (#6)
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** UK
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**
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** Dido Harding has applied to become NHS England chief executive, it has been confirmed. An amendment to Baroness Harding’s biography on the NHS England and Improvement website yesterday said: “Dido has applied to become the next CEO of the NHS and has therefore stood aside as chair of NHS Improvement (NHSI) whilst the recruitment process takes place. Sir Andrew Morris is standing in for her during this time.” The deadline for applications was Monday.

Leading candidates for the role are thought to include NHSE chief operating officer Amanda Pritchard, hospital trust and former NHSI chief Sir Jim Mackey, and KPMG partner Mark Britnell.

Baroness Harding has been a controversial figure, particularly due to concerns about test and trace, for which the government appointed her executive chair in May last year. She left in April. In response to her saying she was thinking of applying, the Labour Party issued a statement saying: “The NHS needs someone with a proven track record of improving services for patients.”

During her time as NHSI chair, Baroness Harding led high-profile engagement work on developing a “people plan,” including improving leadership and staff culture, and brought the organisation into its current joint working arrangement with NHSE, under Sir Simon as chief executive. She was previously TalkTalk chief executive.

Source: HSJ, 17 June 2021
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**
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** Warrington Borough Council says it is keen to learn from other areas that are beginning to restrict smoking in outdoor hospitality areas. But it has fallen short of confirming whether it is actively considering implementing something similar.

This comes after Oxfordshire County Council revealed it was considering a smoking ban for outdoor hospitality as part of its plans to become the first smoke-free county by 2025.

Councillor Maureen McLaughlin, the cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, stated the council is encouraging businesses to go smokefree.

She explained: “Coronavirus has meant that businesses have had to use their outdoor spaces more – and we want hospitality venues to be safe, unpolluted spaces for all to enjoy. We continue to encourage businesses to adopt smokefree environments as part of our wider Health and Wellbeing Strategy and support people who wish to quit smoking. We are learning from other areas that have started to restrict smoking in outdoor hospitality venues to see if we need to use related policies, such as licensing, to help achieve our wider objectives to improve health and to make Warrington a place for everyone to enjoy.”

Source: Warrington Guardian, 18 June 2021

See also: ASH Briefing for local authorities: Pavement licenses and smoking ([link removed])
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Read Article ([link removed] )


**
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** Council leaders have expressed frustration that the involvement of MPs in “levelling up” is making it harder for them to develop local strategic visions.

At a meeting of the Local Government Association’s City Regions Board on Wednesday (16 June), Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council, said “the involvement of members of parliament in the process” of levelling up was “really unhelpful.” The government expects local authorities bidding for the levelling up fund to “consult local members of parliament as part of their bid,” although “support from local MPs is not a necessary condition for a successful bid.”

He said he had “good relationships” with the three MPs whose constituencies fall wholly or partly within his council’s boundary and that developing a strategic vision for North East England with other local authorities had required a “multi-party approach.” But he said the involvement of MPs in levelling up was “something we as local government representatives should be resisting.”

He argued that “it is the role of local authorities and the role of the leaders of local authorities to develop a strategic vision within our localities. I just don't think it's the role of members of parliament. Their role is completely different.”

Abi Brown, leader of Stoke City Council, said that “it is possible to reach a point where there is consensus” with local MPs, but “even when you're in the same team, it's not always very easy.” Her city’s area is shared among three parliamentary constituencies. She argued it could be “quite tricky” for councils in this position to “craft a shared narrative” with representatives whose “inherent interest is in a smaller geography than [their] own.”

Source: Local Government Chronicle, 17 June 2021
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** International
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**
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** In December 2019, the federal minimum age to purchase tobacco increased from 18 to 21. That applied to all products — including cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes. Alaska is now considering new legislation designed to curb vaping. The new bill would add a 75% state tax on vaping devices, e-liquids and other components. Currently, in Petersburg – a borough in Alaska – tax is two dollars per pack of cigarettes and 45% on other tobacco and vaping products, approved by local voters in 2014. Other municipalities are also collecting tax on those products.

Raising taxes helps fund the state’s tobacco prevention programs. In a sponsor statement for the bill in the House, Juneau Democrat Sara Hannan said the new tax would raise approximately $2.5 million annually. Alaska spent $9.1 million in fiscal year 2021 on tobacco prevention.

The new bill would also make it illegal for under-21s to possess tobacco products. People under 21 currently cannot purchase tobacco products under federal law but the proposed state law.

Source: Kfsk, 16 June 2021
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** Parliamentay Activity
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**
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** On Thursday, 17th June, MPs held a Backbench Business debate on the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Across the debate, one of the key issues raised was that the law is not working, and a new approach is needed. The MPs stated the need for the decriminalisation of drug possession and supervised drug consumption facilities. They highlight high levels of drug deaths and harms in the UK and call for a more health-based focus of drugs policy, with greater investment in harm reduction policies and treatment.

Source: Hansard, 17 June 2021
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Read Transcript ([link removed])


** Link of the Week
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**
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** Yesterday, 17 June 2021, ASH hosted a webinar focusing on the APPG on Smoking and Health’s new report, which sets out recommendations for the 2021 Tobacco Control Plan for England.

The event included local authority and clinical perspectives on the report and expert presentations on the policies needed to deliver a Smokefree 2030 and how the next tobacco control plan could be funded.

The webinar was recorded and is available online.

The APPG Report and recommendations can be found at: [link removed]
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View Webinar ([link removed] )
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.

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