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Handrolled Tobacco Taxation

EDM number 1154 in 2006-07, proposed by David Amess on 19/03/2007.

That this House believes that comprehensive fiscal measures are key to achieving the Government's public service agreement target regarding tobacco consumption; notes that all tobacco products cause disease; further notes that taxation levied against handrolled tobacco is almost half of that for manufactured cigarettes; further notes that this taxation structure has contributed to a considerable shift in consumption towards cheaper handrolled tobacco; further notes that this constitutes a threat to the Government's public service agreement target on tobacco; welcomes the Health Minister's statement that `The Secretary of State is very concerned about the increasing use of handrolled cigarettes'; further welcomes the Chief Medical Officer's recommendation that `The Government should look urgently at how to create a tax or duty system for tobacco that minimises the opportunity to avoid the impact of price rises by trading across to another tobacco product (for example handrolling tobacco)'; further welcomes the view of Action on Smoking and Health that `Handrolling tobacco - the tax rate should be increased at least in line with cigarettes'; calls on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to recognise this threat and thereby increase the amount of tax levied against handrolled tobacco so that it equals the amount of tax levied against manufactured cigarettes; further notes that revenue raised from this taxation increase could be earmarked for the specific purpose of addressing the growing problem of counterfeit cigarettes and handrolled tobacco smuggling; and wishes the Government success with its Tackling Tobacco Smuggling Strategy.

This motion has been signed by a total of 8 MPs.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
David Amess19/03/2007Southend WestConservativeProposed
Lynne Jones20/03/2007Birmingham, Selly OakLabourSeconded
Ann Cryer20/03/2007KeighleyLabourSeconded
Mike Hancock20/03/2007Portsmouth SouthLiberal DemocratSeconded
Colin Breed21/03/2007South East CornwallLiberal DemocratSeconded
Alasdair McDonnell21/03/2007Belfast SouthSocial Democratic and Labour PartySeconded
John Hemming19/04/2007Birmingham, YardleyLiberal DemocratSigned
Alan Simpson01/05/2007Nottingham SouthLabourSigned

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