Lichfield’s MP says it was a “tough decision” to vote in favour of a ban on smoking in cars with children in.
Ministers now have the power to introduce the ban after the vote was won by 376 votes to 107.
Michael Fabricant was one of those who voted in favour of the move, but admitted he understood some of the concerns that had been raised.
“It was a tough decision to make as I know it will be difficult to enforce and is an intrusion into people’s personal liberties,” he said. “But we have similar rules regarding the use of mobile phones which are enforceable and it is very clear to me on all the medical evidence that secondary smoke in a confined space is highly dangerous to others. This is magnified in the relatively small volume of a car and with children present.
“Short of some impractical rule that all windows must be fully open regardless of the weather or speed of travel when an adult is smoking, I could not see how we could not pass this law.
“Many people have already said to me how now going to a restaurant and a pub is a far more enjoyable and healthy experience since the smoking ban. Incidentally, it is already illegal to smoke in company vehicles.
“The vote was a ‘free vote’ for both Conservative and Labour Members of Parliament and I was pleased to see how many MPs of different persuasions took the same view on this vexed issue.”
