Consultation launched on proposed ban on in-car smoking

The government has announced the launch of a new consultation that will canvass opinions on planned legal changes that would prohibit smoking in cars carrying children.

In February 2014, parliament voted in favour of legislation that would make private vehicles with children smoke-free, with the new consultation being launched to discuss practical considerations surrounding the planned laws.

Running for six weeks until August 27th 2014, this process will allow members of the public to share their views on the legislation, which would make it an offence to smoke in a private vehicle with someone under 18 present, or to fail to prevent smoking in these circumstances.

Public health minister Jane Ellison said: "The only effective way to protect children from secondhand smoke is to prevent them breathing it in in the first place. We want to build on this country’s record on smokefree places."

This comes as part of a wider series of campaigns and legal initiatives to minimise the impact caused by secondhand smoke, which can be a major threat to child health.

It has been illegal to smoke in enclosed public places and workplaces since July 2007, with those violating the law liable to pay potentially significant fines.