Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how he monitors observance by UK overseas posts of the revised guidance on support to the tobacco industry published in December 2013.

The United Kingdom Government and UK officials overseas are committed to limiting interactions with the tobacco industry as part of Her Majesty’s Government’s obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

The Government has standing instructions to all diplomatic staff to follow the revised December 2013 guidelines on interactions with tobacco companies. In line with this guidance, assistance may be offered to counter discriminatory practices. The Government does not catalogue the representations it makes on behalf of companies.