General Chat

I'm not sure about employing people to do this job as I would have thought it should be up to the proprietor of any bar, restaurant or cafe to enforce the new laws. As someone who gets affected by people's smoke, I welcome the ban and would like to see it enforced in some way but more effeciently than the mobile phone/ driving law! Jacky :-)

I agree Jacky,but to train people for the job:-) its a jokelol

Would you shop a smoker?? I dont smoke but I think this is Just stupidity,I can think of far better things to spend our money on,the health service for one! What do you think?

Thousands of council staff are being trained to police the smoking ban in bars, restaurants and shops in England. Ministers have given councils £29.5m to pay for staff, who will be able to give on-the-spot £50 fines to individuals and take court action against premises. They will have the power to enter premises undercover, allowing them to sit among drinkers, and will even be able to photograph and film people. Smokers' groups and industry officials said the plans were a 'waste of money'. The smoking ban is due to come into force on 1 July. It covers virtually all enclosed public places including offices, factories, pubs and bars. But neither outdoor space nor private homes will be affected. The idea of getting public officials to snoop on people is distasteful and disproportionate Simon Clark, Forest Business owners also have a duty to ensure their customers comply - they are liable for £200 fines if proper signs are not displayed and, potentially, fines of £2,500 if they refuse to enforce the ban. Local authorities have been given the power to enforce the ban so it does not consume police time. A government-funded course is expected to train 1,200 council officers in the next few months with more expected to follow later. Councils will use these fully-trained officers to brief other staff on how to enforce the law as many towns and cities will have scores of officers patrolling public places.

What training do they need? How to sit around in bars & restaurants, how to tell if someone is smoking. What a farce, I hope they don't get paid very much for sitting round drinking all day then filling a form in when they catch someone. Is this what we pay our taxes for? Jackie

Ridiculous!!

I find myself in a cleft stick here,on one hand i think this is money wasted as many others do,but on the other hand ,both myself suffeering with copd and the wife suffering with advanced emysema through no fault of her own,but by working with chemicals for years in a hospital looking after patients wards and operating theatres.she can not go into a resteraunt ,or pub to enjoy a drink ,or meal because of smoke which brings on an attack leaving her ill for hours. Why can not smokers be a little more considerate and configne their habit to outdoors ,giving ill people a bit more scope to enjoy THEIR selves once in a while. Before anyone starts on me ,yes i was a smoker for years but had the thought and decency to not smoke in a resteraunt or pub ,to leave the air clean for others to enjoy their meal in peace.Fred,[off the soap ,box]

What hypocrites the govt is! Do all the non smokers realise that if EVERYONE gave up smoking, the income tax rate or something else would go sky high!! Where else would the govt get the billions of £s they make from the tax on smokers. Why do you think they make so much fuss over people buying cigs & tobacco o/seas. I do not recall tobacco having been made an illegal substance! yet smokers are now to be treated as criminals At least a person smoking will not get in a car and kill someone, but a person who has been drinking can, why is there no fuss made about booze! which does far more harm

Fred,I agree with you too. Im not against the ban in public places,Im against this crazy Idea,Its surely up to the land lords to make sure the law stands, Yet more tax payers money being wasted on this Idea,that will probably fall apart anyway:-))

Fred I agree with you and I am a smoker, stupidly. I always smoke outside whether im at a restaurant or at home as I don't want to smoke around my children, why should others suffer because I have a bad habit. I didn't start smoking until 6 years ago when I had postnatal depression and wish I had more sense and not started. Jackie

This is the bit that concerns me most - 'They will have the power to enter premises undercover, allowing them to sit among drinkers, and will even be able to photograph and film people.' I don't go to a pub expecting to be filmed - is there no privacy anymore? CCTV is bad enough but now Big Brother is following us inside. Maybe they ought to film the cars belching out fumes at pushchair level as well. Let's ban them too. Gwynne

''Undercover''?? what on earth does THAT mean..........that they are road workers in plain clothes? or something....... ( OR maybe coming in with clothes reeking of smoke and being an agent provocateur?) ''Give us light mate.....!!!, here.. have one yourself...........!'' Bob

I am a heavy smoker but I would not DREAM of smoking in a restaurant and am surprised to hear that anyone does - how very rude and illmannered. I agree with Maud. In my local rag yesterday, there were at least ten reports of drunk drivers, and a report of a domestic assault, where the man was 'very sorry, it was the drink'. Not a single report of anyone beating up their wife/a policeman/a mate because they had been SMOKING. The Government could ban smoking tomorrow if it wanted to, but it won't because it is a huge source of revenue. This government speaks with forked tongue - as usual. OC

if smoking is really the killer desease, then tobacco must be registered as an illegal substance, and using it therefor becomes a criminal offence. as it is not an illegal substance, prosecuting smokers infringes civil liberties, and the law makers become law breakers. the government is looking like a dog chasing it's own tail, one day they will catch it... and we will then find a new party is running the country. bryan ( non-smoker )

What hypocrites the govt is! Do all the non smokers realise that if EVERYONE gave up smoking, the income tax rate or something else would go sky high!! Where else would the govt get the billions of £s they make from the tax on smokers. Why do you think they make so much fuss over people buying cigs & tobacco o/seas. I do not recall tobacco having been made an illegal substance! yet smokers are now to be treated as criminals At least a person smoking will not get in a car and kill someone, but a person who has been drinking can, why is there no fuss made about booze! which does far more harm

Gwynne,i agree with you,this is why I find the whole thing crazy!! Car fumes are so very toxic,and yet you see children being exposed to them everyday,we live in a very stupid world when people cant see what the real dangers are. But Im afraid the population has been brainwashed:-((

I used to smoke but I no longer do,however it is, as you all know,'Extremely Addictive' also very 'Lucrative' in taxes for the Government,So why have they bought this stupid Law in? Probably to get even more taxes from people. But does,nt this make a complete 'Mockery' of the ' Their Much Vaunted Human Rights Law?' or do they now regard people who smoke 'None Human'?.But then again,as lots of MPs.are members of the so called'Legal Profession' It could be a way for them to earn even more off the 'Legal Aid System' to enhance their 'Retirement Funds'. Not that the Blairs would even dream of doing such a thing. Hal.

Sorry peeps but the few people saying that people getting into a car smoking will not kill anyone?a few people doing so behind the wheel of a car HAVE done so,either by taking their eyes off the road to light up at the wrong time ,or by puffing away one hand off the wheel and being not in proper control of the car,as happens with hand held mobiles.,the discusion was the waste of taxpayers money .not vilification ,or not of smokers. I think the owners of these establishments should ban any people from smoking in their premises ,the same way as they do ,if responsible .to refuse to serve anyone drunk, with more liquer to prevent accidents through drink driving The councils waste enough money ,i think we all agree that they do that well enough without adding to their wasteful ways.Fred..

Thousands of council officers will patrol bars, restaurants and shops to police the smoking ban when it comes into force in July, it has been reported. Councils have been granted £29.5m to pay for staff, who will be able to give on-the-spot £50 fines to people and take court action against premises if they flout the law. A BBC investigation found that the officers will be able to go undercover to photograph and film people. A Government-funded course is expected to train 1,200 council officers in the next few months, with more later. Ian Gray, policy officer for the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and chief trainer for the Government course, told the BBC: 'I expect most councils will take a softly, softly approach at first. But there will be some occasions when action has to be taken and I am sure the officers will not shy away from that. 'These officers do not have to identify themselves when they go into premises and they can even film and photograph people to gather evidence, although this may not be appropriate in many cases.' In Nottingham, there will be about 30 officers patrolling the city, comprised of new staff and existing environmental health officers. The council is also exploring the possibility of getting street wardens, who currently aid the local police force, to help ensure the ban is effectively enforced. Steve Dowling, director of environment and public protection at Nottingham City Council, said: 'We have about 100 wardens and they could keep an eye on whether people are smoking in pubs as they go about their other duties. In Liverpool, there will be a core team of about 20 to 25, although about 200 staff are expected to patrol the city in the first few days after the ban. Liverpool City Council official Andy Hull told the BBC: 'We want to make our presence felt from the start, although we will probably just issue warnings on the first day.' SO just WHERE will the enforcement officers came from? NEW intake of council employees? a bit of extra overtime for some? ''Er do us a couple of missions while you are on the sick...?'' SOMONE is gonna have to pay these individuals........and where will the money come from......after the initial grant is used up? ...our council tax, no doubt... Bob Ex smoker , but despise tactics such as these........

Me too Bob,its completely unacceptable,I would favour an all out ban, meaning the sale of tobacco,if its such a big health risk thats the only option,in my opinion,but they wont do that,will they! this hypocrisy makes me sick. Fred,I agree, lighting up In a car is dangerous,just as dangerous as using a mobile while driving,with the added health risk if you have passengers.