The Smoking Gun

Health outcomes have improved across much of Scotland in recent years, however, illness due to smoking remains prevalent, despite its invariably effective remedy; giving up.

Every 30 minutes, someone in Scotland dies as a consequence of tobacco smoking; indeed, in the time it has taken me to write down these thoughts, it is likely that several in our country will die because of the profiteering of tobacco companies.

I will admit, I am no moderate on the subject, and when others suggest that tobacco companies are murderers, I can summon no counter-argument. Indeed, I would like to reiterate my admiration for the political courage of former First Minister Jack McConnell who built on the work of Stewart Maxwell and brought into force the initial anti-smoking legislation in Scotland. Those were brave political acts that should be congratulated.

Similarly commendable is the work of ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Scotland who have, since the 1970s, campaigned to inform and educate people across the country of the hazards of smoking, and how they affect not just smokers, but those nearby, especially children. ASH has done a great deal in the 40 years since it was founded to raise the issue in the public consciousness and among politicians.

However, the impact of smoking on health is far from localised. Indeed, in the 20th century, more people in the UK were lost to the consequences of smoking than have been lost in all the wars in which we have been involved—I include civilian and military casualties.

The best way to avoid the dangers of smoking is not to start in the first place, and thus our focus must be on delivering advice and education to young people about the dangers of smoking. Therefore, when we talk about smoking prevention and ASH’s role in it, we talk about a life-saving endeavour for smokers and non-smokers.

To this end, I am proud to support the Scottish Government and various anti-smoking bodies in their plans to implement plain-packaging requirements for the sale of tobacco products, regardless of the UK Government’s abandonment of the policy.

Energy Efficiency Funding

While few of us will be too worried about heating our homes over the summer months, we should not forget the cold winter which we have left behind, and the need to make preparation for future cold spells.

In recognition of this inevitability, the Scottish Government has allocated a budget of at least £79 million for fuel poverty and energy efficiency in 2013-14. The majority of that, £60 million, is being spent on council-led area-based schemes to tackle fuel poverty.

The remaining £19 million will be used to deliver our national affordable warmth and energy assistance schemes and provide funding to the Energy Saving Trust and others to help support the home energy Scotland hotline and advice centres to provide advice and guidance to people about the energy efficiency of their homes and the support for which they might be eligible.

This funding and the support it delivers is particularly vital in rural areas, like much of my constituency of Banffshire and Buchan Coast, where people are more likely to be in fuel poverty than in towns and cities.

The Scottish Government has recognised this by allocating Aberdeenshire £4.4 million of the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS) money. It will now be up to Aberdeenshire Council to determine what energy efficiency measures are most required in the area and to use the pleasant summer months to ensure these preparations are in place.