Latest news with #JonathanBrady
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Health
- Scotsman
here's what it means: Cigarettes, vapes, outdoor smoking, adverts
MSPs are being asked to back UK Government plans to create a smoke-free generation. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... MSPs have unanimously agreed to back the UK Government's plans to create the 'first smoke-free generation'. UK ministers are hoping the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will 'break the cycle of addiction and disadvantage and put us on track towards a smoke-free UK'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Public Health Minister Jenni Minto asked her colleagues in Holyrood to grant legislative consent for the UK Bill. The Scotsman takes a look at what this means for Scotland. Banning cigarettes Branded 'the biggest public health intervention in a generation', the Bill will ban the sale of all cigarettes and tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009. This means all children turning 15 this year and younger can never legally be sold tobacco in the UK at any point in their life. The legislation will also ban the sale of all vaping and nicotine products to under-18s and ban the free distribution of these products. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Stopping children vaping As well as banning the sale of vapes, the Bill will also allow ministers to regulate the flavours, packing and display of vapes so they do not appeal to children. While vapes can still be used to help smokers quit, the UK government says children and adults who have never smoked before should never vape. File photo of a person vaping The Bill says: 'The government is concerned about the worrying rise in vaping among children, with youth vaping more than doubling in the last five years and one in four 11-15 year olds having vaped in 2023. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is clearly unacceptable and why this government is taking strong action to end the deliberate targeting of vapes to children.' Regulation of advertising and retail The legislation will also ban the advertising and sponsorship of vape and nicotine products. In Scotland, all retailers selling tobacco and vapes need to be officially registered, and this Bill looks to strengthen this existing policy. It will also introduce a new retail licensing scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad NHS England figures show 270 of the 438 people who had set a date to quit smoking in Wigan self-reported they had done so between April and September 2024 | Jonathan Brady/Press Association. Outdoor smoking ban Should this Bill pass, the indoor smoking ban will be extended to outdoor spaces like children's playgrounds, schools and outside hospitals. Many of these areas are already covered by the smoking ban in Scotland. The legislation will also introduce extra powers to allow workplaces and public places that are already smoke free to become vape free as well. Helping people to quit Hospitals will need to integrate 'opt-out' smoking cessation interventions into their routine care, meaning every clinical consultation will cover some sort of smoking intervention. "If you're ready to make a change, take that first step today. Whether you've smoked for a year or fifty, quitting is always worth it", says Dr Dave Briggs. Positive messages and advice on how to quit smoking will also be inserted into packs of cigarettes to help encourage current smokers to quit. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Single-use vapes This legislation is separate to the Scottish ban on single-use vapes, which comes into force on Sunday, June 1. Why is the government doing this? Essentially the government thinks it can save the NHS some money and boost the economy by making the population healthier. The UK government says smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, disability and ill health in the UK, causing 80,000 deaths a year, including one in four cancer deaths.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Health
- Scotsman
Scotland to vote on tobacco ban - here's what it means: Cigarettes, vapes, outdoor smoking, adverts
MSPs are being asked to back UK Government plans to create a smoke-free generation. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... MSPs will be asked on Thursday to agree to the UK government's plans to create the 'first smoke-free generation'. UK ministers are hoping the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will 'break the cycle of addiction and disadvantage and put us on track towards a smoke-free UK'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Public Health Minister Jenni Minto will ask her colleagues in Holyrood to grant legislative consent for the UK Bill. The Scotsman takes a look at what this means for Scotland. Banning cigarettes Branded 'the biggest public health intervention in a generation', the Bill will ban the sale of all cigarettes and tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009. This means all children turning 15 this year and younger can never legally be sold tobacco in the UK at any point in their life. The legislation will also ban the sale of all vaping and nicotine products to under-18s and ban the free distribution of these products. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Stopping children vaping As well as banning the sale of vapes, the Bill will also allow ministers to regulate the flavours, packing and display of vapes so they do not appeal to children. While vapes can still be used to help smokers quit, the UK government says children and adults who have never smoked before should never vape. File photo of a person vaping The Bill says: 'The government is concerned about the worrying rise in vaping among children, with youth vaping more than doubling in the last five years and one in four 11-15 year olds having vaped in 2023. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is clearly unacceptable and why this government is taking strong action to end the deliberate targeting of vapes to children.' Regulation of advertising and retail The legislation will also ban the advertising and sponsorship of vape and nicotine products. In Scotland, all retailers selling tobacco and vapes need to be officially registered, and this Bill looks to strengthen this existing policy. It will also introduce a new retail licensing scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad NHS England figures show 270 of the 438 people who had set a date to quit smoking in Wigan self-reported they had done so between April and September 2024 | Jonathan Brady/Press Association. Outdoor smoking ban Should this Bill pass, the indoor smoking ban will be extended to outdoor spaces like children's playgrounds, schools and outside hospitals. Many of these areas are already covered by the smoking ban in Scotland. The legislation will also introduce extra powers to allow workplaces and public places that are already smoke free to become vape free as well. Helping people to quit Hospitals will need to integrate 'opt-out' smoking cessation interventions into their routine care, meaning every clinical consultation will cover some sort of smoking intervention. "If you're ready to make a change, take that first step today. Whether you've smoked for a year or fifty, quitting is always worth it", says Dr Dave Briggs. Positive messages and advice on how to quit smoking will also be inserted into packs of cigarettes to help encourage current smokers to quit. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Single-use vapes This legislation is separate to the Scottish ban on single-use vapes, which comes into force on Sunday, June 1. Why is the government doing this? Essentially the government thinks it can save the NHS some money and boost the economy by making the population healthier. The UK government says smoking is the number one preventable cause of death, disability and ill health in the UK, causing 80,000 deaths a year, including one in four cancer deaths.
North Wales Chronicle
3 days ago
- Automotive
- North Wales Chronicle
Smart motorways have higher rate of recorded breakdowns
National Highways statistics show 56% of breakdowns logged on England's motorways last year happened on smart motorways. That is despite the roads only making up 20% of the total motorway network. The 141,149 smart motorway breakdown incidents recorded in 2024 was an average of 387 per day. The AA described the statistics, released in response to a Freedom of Information request, as 'a major concern'. National Highways said the technology installed on smart motorways means breakdowns on those roads are more likely to be detected. Smart motorways are designed to increase capacity at a lower cost than widening roads. That can be done by converting the hard shoulder into a live running lane. There have been long-standing safety concerns after fatal incidents in which vehicles stopped in live lanes were hit from behind. Then-prime minister Rishi Sunak cancelled all future planned smart motorway projects in April 2023, citing financial pressures and a lack of public confidence in the roads. Future investment in smart motorways was cancelled by former PM Rishi Sunak (Jonathan Brady/PA) Some smart motorway stretches are controlled schemes, which use variable speed limits but retain a hard shoulder. AA president Edmund King told the PA news agency: 'For many drivers, fear of a collision on a smart motorway would be reinforced by witnessing a breakdown in a live lane, or frequently seeing vehicles in refuge areas. 'These new figures suggest that the chance of that happening is increasing – approaching 400 a day along 396 miles of smart motorway, even when including controlled stretches. 'Equivalent to one a mile each day, that inspires more motorists to stay out of lane one, thus increasing the chance of congestion.' For the first time, figures published by National Highways show 251,448 breakdowns on England's motorways were logged last year. That is a rise of 3% from the previous year and 47% compared with 2014. Parts of the M4 are a smart motorway system (Steve Parsons/PA) The AA said free breakdown recovery in roadwork areas and monitoring of smart motorways have increased the number of incidents recorded by National Highways. It believe the length of the motorway network can be ruled out as a major factor as it has only increased by 65 miles in the past decade. Mr King said: 'It is a major concern that we are witnessing more than a quarter of a million breakdowns a year on the motorway network – and those are just the officially recorded ones. 'The situation does not appear to be getting any better.' He added that drivers can reduce the likelihood of breaking down by taking measures such as having their vehicle regularly serviced, checking tyre conditions and pressure, and ensuring they have adequate fuel or charge. A National Highways spokesperson said: 'Our latest analysis continues to show that overall, smart motorways remain our safest roads. 'We have upgraded the technology to detect stopped vehicles, improved response times to live lane breakdowns and installed more than 150 additional emergency areas giving people a place to pull over if they break down. 'Unlike other roads, smart motorways have technology in place to identify stopped vehicles, including breakdowns. 'This means more breakdowns are identified on smart motorways compared to other road types, and as a result these stats are not a reliable indicator of actual safety.'
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
Smart motorways have higher rate of recorded breakdowns
National Highways statistics show 56% of breakdowns logged on England's motorways last year happened on smart motorways. That is despite the roads only making up 20% of the total motorway network. The 141,149 smart motorway breakdown incidents recorded in 2024 was an average of 387 per day. The AA described the statistics, released in response to a Freedom of Information request, as 'a major concern'. National Highways said the technology installed on smart motorways means breakdowns on those roads are more likely to be detected. Smart motorways are designed to increase capacity at a lower cost than widening roads. That can be done by converting the hard shoulder into a live running lane. There have been long-standing safety concerns after fatal incidents in which vehicles stopped in live lanes were hit from behind. Then-prime minister Rishi Sunak cancelled all future planned smart motorway projects in April 2023, citing financial pressures and a lack of public confidence in the roads. Future investment in smart motorways was cancelled by former PM Rishi Sunak (Jonathan Brady/PA) Some smart motorway stretches are controlled schemes, which use variable speed limits but retain a hard shoulder. AA president Edmund King told the PA news agency: 'For many drivers, fear of a collision on a smart motorway would be reinforced by witnessing a breakdown in a live lane, or frequently seeing vehicles in refuge areas. 'These new figures suggest that the chance of that happening is increasing – approaching 400 a day along 396 miles of smart motorway, even when including controlled stretches. 'Equivalent to one a mile each day, that inspires more motorists to stay out of lane one, thus increasing the chance of congestion.' For the first time, figures published by National Highways show 251,448 breakdowns on England's motorways were logged last year. That is a rise of 3% from the previous year and 47% compared with 2014. Parts of the M4 are a smart motorway system (Steve Parsons/PA) The AA said free breakdown recovery in roadwork areas and monitoring of smart motorways have increased the number of incidents recorded by National Highways. It believe the length of the motorway network can be ruled out as a major factor as it has only increased by 65 miles in the past decade. Mr King said: 'It is a major concern that we are witnessing more than a quarter of a million breakdowns a year on the motorway network – and those are just the officially recorded ones. 'The situation does not appear to be getting any better.' He added that drivers can reduce the likelihood of breaking down by taking measures such as having their vehicle regularly serviced, checking tyre conditions and pressure, and ensuring they have adequate fuel or charge. A National Highways spokesperson said: 'Our latest analysis continues to show that overall, smart motorways remain our safest roads. 'We have upgraded the technology to detect stopped vehicles, improved response times to live lane breakdowns and installed more than 150 additional emergency areas giving people a place to pull over if they break down. 'Unlike other roads, smart motorways have technology in place to identify stopped vehicles, including breakdowns. 'This means more breakdowns are identified on smart motorways compared to other road types, and as a result these stats are not a reliable indicator of actual safety.'
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Glasgow Times
Smart motorways have higher rate of recorded breakdowns
National Highways statistics show 56% of breakdowns logged on England's motorways last year happened on smart motorways. That is despite the roads only making up 20% of the total motorway network. The 141,149 smart motorway breakdown incidents recorded in 2024 was an average of 387 per day. The AA described the statistics, released in response to a Freedom of Information request, as 'a major concern'. National Highways said the technology installed on smart motorways means breakdowns on those roads are more likely to be detected. Smart motorways are designed to increase capacity at a lower cost than widening roads. That can be done by converting the hard shoulder into a live running lane. There have been long-standing safety concerns after fatal incidents in which vehicles stopped in live lanes were hit from behind. Then-prime minister Rishi Sunak cancelled all future planned smart motorway projects in April 2023, citing financial pressures and a lack of public confidence in the roads. Future investment in smart motorways was cancelled by former PM Rishi Sunak (Jonathan Brady/PA) Some smart motorway stretches are controlled schemes, which use variable speed limits but retain a hard shoulder. AA president Edmund King told the PA news agency: 'For many drivers, fear of a collision on a smart motorway would be reinforced by witnessing a breakdown in a live lane, or frequently seeing vehicles in refuge areas. 'These new figures suggest that the chance of that happening is increasing – approaching 400 a day along 396 miles of smart motorway, even when including controlled stretches. 'Equivalent to one a mile each day, that inspires more motorists to stay out of lane one, thus increasing the chance of congestion.' For the first time, figures published by National Highways show 251,448 breakdowns on England's motorways were logged last year. That is a rise of 3% from the previous year and 47% compared with 2014. Parts of the M4 are a smart motorway system (Steve Parsons/PA) The AA said free breakdown recovery in roadwork areas and monitoring of smart motorways have increased the number of incidents recorded by National Highways. It believe the length of the motorway network can be ruled out as a major factor as it has only increased by 65 miles in the past decade. Mr King said: 'It is a major concern that we are witnessing more than a quarter of a million breakdowns a year on the motorway network – and those are just the officially recorded ones. 'The situation does not appear to be getting any better.' He added that drivers can reduce the likelihood of breaking down by taking measures such as having their vehicle regularly serviced, checking tyre conditions and pressure, and ensuring they have adequate fuel or charge. A National Highways spokesperson said: 'Our latest analysis continues to show that overall, smart motorways remain our safest roads. 'We have upgraded the technology to detect stopped vehicles, improved response times to live lane breakdowns and installed more than 150 additional emergency areas giving people a place to pull over if they break down. 'Unlike other roads, smart motorways have technology in place to identify stopped vehicles, including breakdowns. 'This means more breakdowns are identified on smart motorways compared to other road types, and as a result these stats are not a reliable indicator of actual safety.'
