Smokers face ban in car carrying children

Oldham MPs are supporting a bid to ban smoking in cars when children are passengers.

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher and Ashton MP David Heyes backed the bill brought forward by a Labour backbencher, who said it would cut the terrible toll of asthma and wheezing in children because of passive smoking.

Mr Meacher said: “I think the less smoking people do the better. Cars are a very confined atmosphere and there will be times when passengers including children or adults are in the car and too polite to say anything and will breathe in the smoke.”

Mr Heyes added: “It is self evident. I am against smoking in any form and any legislation that will put pressure on smokers to stop in the presence of children is a good thing.”

But the move triggered a furious row, which resulted in the proposed legislation being branded “excessive, intrusive and insulting to British parents who smoke”.

Conservative MP Philip Davies forced a vote which resulted in MPs approving the Smoking in Private Vehicles Bill by 78 votes to 66, a majority of 12.

He launched a fierce attack, saying: “The suggestion of banning smoking in private vehicles with a minor present is yet another unwarranted intrusion on individual freedom.

“In a private vehicle, adults should be free to smoke provided they do not light up and smoke in a way that would distract from safe driving.”

Insisting the police did not have time to enforce such a ban, Mr Davies added: “Of course adults should show consideration, but this does not require the nanny state legislation proposed.”

Earlier, Alex Cunningham, the Labour MP spearheading the bill told MPs: “We already have legislation that bans smoking on buses, trains, planes and taxis.

“I remember when people were allowed to light up on public transport and that was considered normal; I think most would agree attitudes have changed significantly.

“Adults can make up their own minds about smoking. It is children we need to protect.”

Many youngsters were too scared or embarrassed to object to someone smoking in their car, Mr Cunningham added.

Although his bill cleared its first hurdle in the Commons yesterday, it has little chance of becoming law because of a lack of parliamentary time.