Briefings and responses

The LGA believes this is a progressive piece of legislation that would undoubtedly impact on smoking prevalence and ultimately reduce rates of smoking-related disease. We look forward to working with the Government and others to enforce this ban as well as ensure plans for a smokefree generation are a success.

The LGA has offered to work with the Department of Health and Social Care, the NHS and Health Education England to get the right number of training places commissioned and to deliver policies to ensure health visiting remains an attractive and valued career.

Everyone should have access to healthy and affordable food. The LGA welcomes the work of the National Food Strategy and want to work with Government to take forward the recommendations as part of a whole-systems approach to improving communities’ health, wellbeing and resilience.

The Bill provides a vital opportunity for long-awaited reform. It is important that this opportunity is not missed and that the Bill is passed as the current situation is not sustainable for councils and our communities.

We welcome the opportunity that the Bill presents to replace a system that is widely agreed not to be fit for purpose.

The final legislation needs to highlight the rights of individuals to be consulted in decisions and ensure that they, their families and carers, and the sector as a whole, have the confidence that there will be independent oversight of those decisions when appropriate.

It is essential that councils have a range of tools at their disposal to allow them to work quickly to help suppress the virus in their communities and take action against non-compliant businesses before it is too late.

As the UK leaves the European Union, it is important that any future relationship with the EU explicitly meets the needs of the UK health and care sector.

Since its launch in May 2013, over 100 councils across the country have signed the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control.

The absence of additional funding for social care will have knock-on effects on the viability of providers and the sustainability of the NHS.