2020/0374/UK
EC/EFTA
GB Royaume-Uni
  • S50E - Mesures favorables à l'environnement
2020-09-24
2020-06-25

The draft regulations contain detailed provisions about the prohibition of smoking in premises, vehicles and outdoor public spaces include requirements for no-smoking signs, in Wales only.

Smoke-free Premises and Vehicles (Wales) Regulations

The draft Regulations revoke and replace the Smoke-free Premises etc. (Wales) Regulations 2007. The draft Regulations apply to Wales only and extends the smoke-free provisions in Wales to include certain non- enclosed or substantially enclosed premises, being hospital grounds, public playgrounds, school grounds and outdoor care settings for children.

The draft Regulations include requirements on the specification of no-smoking signs in smoke-free premises and vehicles. These are intended to be proportionate and not to present unnecessary burdens on business.

The draft Regulations relax the current provisions on smoke-free signage in the vast majority of premises. This is due to the high levels of compliance and understanding with the current smoke-free regime. These premises will be required to show a graphic representation of a lit cigarette within a circle with a line through it, with no specification as to size, colour or location of the sign. There will be no specified written warning to accompany the sign in English or Welsh.

The draft Regulations make further requirements on signage in school grounds, hospital grounds and public playgrounds. As well as the graphic representation set out above, requirements are also set out in relation to the positioning of signs and accompanying warning text.

The “appropriate warning text” is—

(i) for school grounds, “It is against the law to smoke in these school grounds/Mae ysmygu yn nhir yr ysgol hon yn erbyn y gyfraith”;

(ii) for hospital grounds, “It is against the law to smoke in these hospital grounds/Mae ysmygu yn nhir yr ysbyty hwn yn erbyn y gyfraith”;

(iii) for public playgrounds within clearly marked boundaries, “It is against the law to smoke in this playground/Mae ysmygu yn y maes chwarae hwn yn erbyn y gyfraith”;

(iv) for public playgrounds not within clearly marked boundaries, “It is against the law to smoke within 5 metres of this play equipment/Mae ysmygu o fewn 5 metr i’r cyfarpar chwarae hwn yn erbyn y gyfraith”.

The draft Regulations are a step towards achieveing better overall health of the people of Wales and the Welsh Government’s overall vision of a smoke-free society for Wales in which the harm from tobacco is eradicated.