BRITAIN: The British government has announced plans to ban smoking in most enclosed public spaces, including restaurants, cafés and most pubs in England by 2008, writes Frank Millar in London
Yesterday's eagerly awaited White Paper on Public Health - also covering obesity, sexual and mental health - fell short of the plans announced last week by the Scottish Executive for a complete ban on smoking in public places.
However, Health Secretary Dr John Reid announced proposals going much further than expected, meaning that 90 per cent of bars could be smoke-free zones within a few years.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's PM programme last night, Dr Reid said there were no implications for National Health Service (NHS) patients who continued to ignore government advice and smoke, eat unhealthy food or drink to excess.
The NHS would remain free at the point of use for everyone, he affirmed, declaring: "Thank God we are a free country."
However, Dr Reid said he was confident he could reduce the number of smokers in England by as many as two million over a period of five years.
The freedom of smokers will be hugely curtailed under the proposals which will allow exemptions for private clubs whose members vote to permit smoking and for pubs which do not serve prepared food.
As part of the effort to protect staff from second-hand smoke, smoking in bar areas will be prohibited in all establishments.
The plans disappointed campaigners who argue that only a total ban can properly protect staff and that exemptions lead to inequalities, while smokers and some libertarians see further evidence of a "nanny state" mentality at the heart of the Blair government.
Although the proposals will be phased-in in stages following next year's expected general election, yesterday's announcement also risks alienating another section of the electorate at a time when the government seems set on a collision course with the countryside lobby over the determination of Labour MPs to ban all fox hunting.
Chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson had led calls by medical experts for an outright ban. But while declining to follow the Irish and latterly the Scottish example, Dr Reid's announcement went further than the range of voluntary measures that had been considered by ministers.
Welsh Secretary Mr Peter Hain confirmed similar measures would be adopted for Wales.
Dr Reid told MPs people did not have the right to damage the health of others or to impose intolerable degrees of nuisance or inconvenience on them.
"We believe in a free society men and women ultimately have the right within the law to choose their own lifestyle, even when it may damage their own health.
"But people do not have the right to damage the health of others. We therefore intend to shift the balance significantly in favour of smoke-free environments."
He continued: "We will ensure that people will be able to go to their workplace, or choose to go out for a meal or a drink without the damage, inconvenience or pollution from second-hand smoke.
"This is a sensible solution which balances the protection of the majority with the personal freedom of the minority in England." Government departments and the NHS will lead the way and will all be smoke-free by the end of 2006.