MPs vote to ban smoking in cars with children

Government ministers have backed a new amendment to the Children and Families Bill that paves the way for the introduction of a ban on smoking in cars carrying children.

The House of Commons passed the motion by a margin of 376 votes to 107. This means the government now has the power to introduce such a law and is expected to do so, with prime minister David Cameron having expressed his support for the idea.

Although some Conservative ministers opposed the ban, the outcome of the vote means Britain is now set to follow the example of Australia, Canada and some US states in implementing this legislation.

Shadow public health minister Luciana Berger said: "This is a great victory for child health, which will benefit hundreds of thousands of young people across our country. It is a matter of child protection, not adult choice."

A recent study from the Royal College of Physicians suggested that passive smoking in children accounts for more than 20,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infection, 120,000 cases of middle ear disease, at least 22,000 new cases of wheeze and asthma, 200 cases of bacterial meningitis and 40 sudden infant deaths.

As such, the organisation has expressed its support for the new move.