Written question WQ83339
- Asked by
- Sam RowlandsConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Health and Social Services
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 8 days
Question
Will the Minister provide a progress update on the task and finish group on illegal tobacco, which the Tobacco Control Strategic Board was commissioned to establish in July 2017?
Answer
Answered by Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing
The Welsh Government established the Illegal Tobacco Task and Finish group in 2016 to co-ordinate and review a programme dealing with illicit/illegal tobacco use in Wales. ASH Wales was commissioned to lead the first phase and they developed proposals for tackling illegal tobacco in Wales (the ‘Wales Illegal Tobacco Programme’). As a result of recommendations made in the ASH Wales report, a secondee from Trading Standards has been employed by Welsh Government to lead the programme.
The supply of illegal tobacco undermines our tobacco control measures and also funds criminal activity in local communities. It is our aim to reduce the availability and demand for illegal tobacco as well as to increase community reporting and support enforcement. The Welsh Government intends to launch a public-facing communications campaign later in the year and is working with local authorities and wider stakeholders to communicate the details of the campaign, share resources and challenge them to prevent the sale of illegal tobacco.