Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that controls on tobacco do not encourage illicit trade in tobacco products.

As set out in the command paper, Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smokefree generation, the Government is increasing investment for our enforcement agencies by £30 million per year from 2024/25 to 2028/29. This additional funding will boost agencies such as local trading standards, HM Revenue & Customs and Border Force to enforce the new age of sale changes and to stamp out opportunities for criminals. The command paper is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/stopping-the-start-our-new-plan-to-create-a-smokefree-generation

HM Revenue & Customs and Border Force will also publish an updated Illicit Tobacco Strategy which will set out the Government’s plans to be at the forefront of tackling illegal activity and opportunities that criminals might seek to exploit.