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| Cigarette packaging: Ministers launch fresh review | Cigarette packaging: Ministers launch fresh review |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The government is to announce an independent review of cigarette packaging in England amid calls for action to discourage young smokers. | The government is to announce an independent review of cigarette packaging in England amid calls for action to discourage young smokers. |
| David Cameron appeared to distance himself from plain packaging in July, saying further evidence was needed to show whether it would be effective. | David Cameron appeared to distance himself from plain packaging in July, saying further evidence was needed to show whether it would be effective. |
| But No 10 sources say the issue would be looked at again and the government was "open-minded" about what to do. | |
| Labour and health campaigners have called for plain packaging. | Labour and health campaigners have called for plain packaging. |
| The government has never officially ruled this out, saying previously that it wanted to see the results of a pilot in Australia - the first country to introduce it - before deciding whether to follow suit. | The government has never officially ruled this out, saying previously that it wanted to see the results of a pilot in Australia - the first country to introduce it - before deciding whether to follow suit. |
| The Times, which first reported the story, said the review would report in March and could lead to plain packages on English shelves before the 2015 election. | |
| The BBC understands it will be lead by an eminent paediatrician and will focus on the experience in Australia. | |
| The BBC's political correspondent, Iain Watson, said ministers would also approve enabling legislation to allow them to sanction plain packaging "very quickly" if the evidence stacked up. | |
| The Times said a study conducted in Australia found that smokers using standardised plain brown packets were 81% more likely to consider quitting. | |
| Labour, who have sought to link Conservative election chief Lynton Crosby's work as a consultant for the tobacco industry to delays in the policy, are likely to describe the move as a u-turn. | Labour, who have sought to link Conservative election chief Lynton Crosby's work as a consultant for the tobacco industry to delays in the policy, are likely to describe the move as a u-turn. |
| The Department of Health held a consultation in 2012 on plans which would have required manufacturers to use standardised packets and fonts and put prominent, graphic warnings on their products. | The Department of Health held a consultation in 2012 on plans which would have required manufacturers to use standardised packets and fonts and put prominent, graphic warnings on their products. |
| Health campaigners say packaging is a "key tool" for the industry to get new customers but manufacturers say plain packets will increase counterfeiting and the focus must be on reducing under-age smoking. | Health campaigners say packaging is a "key tool" for the industry to get new customers but manufacturers say plain packets will increase counterfeiting and the focus must be on reducing under-age smoking. |
| The Scottish government has said it is "still committed" to introducing plain packaging. |