Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Government plans to ratify formally the World Health Organisation Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

A Command Paper setting out the UK’s plans to ratify the World Health Organisation Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products will be laid before Parliament once legislation to implement the Protocol has been approved by Parliament.

While the UK already has many of the Protocol’s requirements in place, the requirement to license tobacco manufacturing machinery has not yet been implemented. Legislation to accomplish this will be brought before Parliament as soon as possible.