Will the Minister detail what conversations the Welsh Government has had with the UK Government about UK wide policies on smoking?
Welsh Government officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the UK Government to discuss tobacco control across the UK. While public health is a devolved matter, on policy areas where UK-wide action is desirable to achieve a particular result, discussions with the UK Government and other devolved governments are routine. By way of example, the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015 were made by the UK Government on a UK-wide basis with the consent of the Welsh Ministers and Ministers in the other devolved administrations. Similarly, the Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015 were made by the UK Government on an England and Wales basis with the consent of the Welsh Ministers.