Ending EU Tobacco Subsidies

The motion

That the Parliament condemns the continuing European Union (EU) subsidy of some £800 million annually to tobacco growers; notes that this is in stark contrast to the tiny sums spent on EU smoking prevention initiatives of £1.2 million per annum; believes that EU tobacco subsidies are a gross misuse of public funds and reflect a fundamental contradiction to EU public health policy; notes that tobacco subsidies have failed in their original intention of encouraging farmers to grow commercially valued varieties of tobacco and thus reduce imports, as EU grown tobacco is of poor quality and low commercial value; recognises that almost all EU grown tobacco is exported to Central and Eastern Europe and developing countries where there are insufficient controls on tar content; notes that 10-20 million people could be fed by food crops grown instead of tobacco, and believes that the EU should begin a phased removal of all tobacco subsidies, using the money thus saved to give farmers direct income support while encouraging crop diversification, early retirement and other safety net schemes.

No recorded vote on this motion. Most motions are never debated, and many that are debated are agreed without a division. Vote records are published from 2011.

SNP 14 Lab 4 LD 3 Con 1 Green 1 SSP 1

Party shown is each supporter’s party when the motion was published.

No contribution in the Official Report cites S1M-01152 by reference.