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MP rebuffed lobbyist’s plan for parliamentary group funded by drinks firms
An MP rejected an approach from a lobbyist group who told her it planned to set up an all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for the night-time economy, which was to be sponsored by alcohol firms.
Alison Thewliss, SNP MP for Glasgow Central, said it was “unusual” to be propositioned by lobbyists rather than an MP, even if there may have been merit in such a cross-party group. The MP was speaking after it was revealed last week that more than £13m has been poured into a growing network of MPs’ interest groups by private firms – fuelling concerns over the potential for backdoor influence.
In emails to Thewliss in 2019, a lobby group called Connect Communications said sponsorship was needed “to make the group viable”. However, a night-time economy APPG was subsequently established with the help of a different lobbying firm, Tendo Consulting.
The APPG received more than £7,500 worth of “benefits in kind” from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), which acts as the group’s secretariat, last year. The NTIA says on its website that it “lobbies nationally” on behalf of the pubs and clubs it represents across the UK.
Thewliss, who chairs three APPGs, said she believed there is a pressing need for greater transparency more broadly about the funding of APPGS and the role of commercial interests.
Source: The Guardian, 22 Feb 2022
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More than 400 counterfeit cigarettes seized from a Wakefield store
Officers found 22 packs of illicit cigarettes and two packs of rolling tobacco at a local corner shop on Agbrigg Road in Wakefield, in October 2021, according to licensing papers published on Wakefield Council’s website.
Police have requested Wakefield Council strip the store of its alcohol licence, with a hearing due to decide the matter next month.
Officers’ written request detailing the allegations said: “On October 21, 2021 a police investigation commenced in relation to the premises for the sale of smuggled goods, namely illicit/counterfeit cigarettes, this was following a failed test purchase by partner agencies.”
“Police, Trading Standards and Wakefield Council enforcement (officers) made a follow-up visit and seized a further amount of counterfeit cigarettes, along with the premises hard drive under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.”
The upcoming hearing is scheduled to take place on March 8, where a panel of three councillors will decide what action, if any, should be taken.
Source: Yorkshire Evening Post, 22 Feb 2022
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Reliance on individual behaviour change will fail to 'level up' health
Government attempts to improve health rely far too heavily on individual behaviour change as stronger action is needed to tackle threats such as smoking, a new report from the Health Foundation has warned. They argue population level change is needed to drive sustained change. Policies such as minimum alcohol pricing and the sugar tax are far more effective than current government public health measures which are skewed towards providing information and services to individuals.
In addition, public health experts are concerned that the Government is rolling back on plans to tackle obesity in a bid to woo Red wall Conservative MPs who are unhappy about the “partygate” affair amid warnings of "nanny statism".
Grace Everest, policy fellow at the Health Foundation, said if the government was serious about "levelling up" it needs to "shift its approach".
"Government’s focus needs to be on population-level policies that aim to alter the environments in which people live - including taxation, regulation, and public spending - which should be implemented alongside more targeted interventions to support those most in need. Wider action is also needed to address the root causes of poor health and widening inequalities," she said.
Source: The Telegraph, 23 Feb 2022
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Study: Smoking before and in the early stages of pregnancy may lead to smaller foetuses at 20 weeks and smaller babies
Recent evidence from the Rotterdam Periconceptional Cohort longitudinal study supports the importance of smoking cessation before and during pregnancy.
The study found that smoking before and in the early stages of pregnancy led to smaller foetuses at 20 weeks and smaller babies.
Researcher Dr Melek Rousian said: "The results of this study emphasise the importance of smoking cessation prior to conception and that efforts to help women stop smoking should focus on this time window.”
"If possible, women should stop smoking from the very moment they plan to become pregnant, but it's always a good thing to stop smoking anyway, particularly at any stage of pregnancy.
"Smoking not only impacts an embryo's growth during pregnancy and birth weight, but also embryo development right from the very early stages of pregnancy."
The researchers are now exploring different ways of helping future parents stop smoking through face-to-face consultations, follow-up visits and digital interventions.
Source: The Sun, 23 Feb 2022
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USA: Florida bill on smoking on public land will impact cigarettes and filtered cigars
A House bill allowing counties and cities to regulate cigarette smoking will only apply to filtered tobacco products like cigarettes and filtered cigars, but won’t impact vaping or unfiltered cigars.
Representatives on Tuesday changed a bill (HB 105) aiming to restore local governments’ ability to regulate smoking on public lands. An amendment passed without objection would make clear that unfiltered cigars still cannot be regulated by anyone but the state government and will remain legal.
The greatest concern addressed by the legislation relates to cigarette butts left as litter. The plastic filters from cigarettes consistently rank as the top trash cleaned up from Florida beaches. Plastic-tipped cigars, which also leave a non-biodegradable byproduct, can still be banned from beaches under both the House and Senate regulation.
The House will vote on the bill on the floor this Thursday.
Source: Florida Politics, 22 Feb 2022
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