Written Question · S4W-17523 · Session 4
Whether it has carried out research on the impact that standardised packaging might have on trade in illicit tobacco products and, if so, w…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out research on the impact that standardised packaging might have on trade in illicit tobacco products and, if so, whether it will publish its findings.
The answer
The Scottish Government will undertake a full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment to accompany the introduction of a Bill on plain, standardised packaging of tobacco products.
As made clear in the recent report of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health (March 2013), enforcement agencies do not rely on pack design to test whether packs are illicit. Instead they use a number of security features found on existing packaging, including coded numbers and covert anti-counterfeit marks, all of which would also be present on plain, standardised packs. The report of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health can be accessed here: http://www.ash.org.uk/about-ash/all-party-parliamentary-group-on-smoking-and-health/appg-documents#IllicitTrade.
A recent report from the National Audit Office on tackling tobacco smuggling (June 2013) showed a reduction in the market share for illicit tobacco products between 2000-01 and 2010-11, from 21%to 9 % for cigarettes, and from 61% to 38 % for hand rolling tobacco. We remain committed to tackling illicit trade and will continue to work with the HMRC on this matter. The National Audit Office report on tackling tobacco smuggling can be accessed here:
http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/10120-001-Tobacco-smuggling-Executive-summary.pdf.
As made clear in the recent report of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health (March 2013), enforcement agencies do not rely on pack design to test whether packs are illicit. Instead they use a number of security features found on existing packaging, including coded numbers and covert anti-counterfeit marks, all of which would also be present on plain, standardised packs. The report of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health can be accessed here: http://www.ash.org.uk/about-ash/all-party-parliamentary-group-on-smoking-and-health/appg-documents#IllicitTrade.
A recent report from the National Audit Office on tackling tobacco smuggling (June 2013) showed a reduction in the market share for illicit tobacco products between 2000-01 and 2010-11, from 21%to 9 % for cigarettes, and from 61% to 38 % for hand rolling tobacco. We remain committed to tackling illicit trade and will continue to work with the HMRC on this matter. The National Audit Office report on tackling tobacco smuggling can be accessed here:
http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/10120-001-Tobacco-smuggling-Executive-summary.pdf.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S4W-17523 by reference.