Northern Ireland to ban smoking in public places

Anti-smoking organisations have called on the UK Government to extend its proposed smoking ban to cover all public places, following the news that Northern Ireland is to introduce a blanket ban.

Northern Ireland minister for health, Shaun Woodward, has announced that Ulster will be introducing a full ban on smoking in public places with effect from April 2007.

The news has increased speculation that the Government could revise its plans for a partial smoking ban in England.

Under current proposals, the smoking ban would not apply to those pubs which do not serve food.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber commented, 'It is hard to see how the Government can hang on to their plan to permit smoking in clubs and pubs that do not serve food, or bring forward new loopholes such as special 'cancer rooms' in pubs where people can smoke but not get served'.

'If workers in the rest of the UK are to be protected from passive smoking, so should those in England', he added.